“A bald eagle is not really bald—it has white feathers on its head.”
The bald eagle is a large North American sea eagle that fishes along coasts, rivers, and lakes and also scavenges carrion. Long-term pairs return to prominent nesting territories, where stick nests can grow for years through repeated additions.
By An Nguyen · Published · Updated
Haliaeetus leucocephalusAccipitriformesAccipitridae
Browse photographs of eagle across habitat, behavior, anatomy, and life stages.
Click any photo to view it larger. 8 images available.
Core article
A closer look at habitat, diet, behavior, reproduction, and conservation.
The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a large North American bird of prey associated with coasts, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Adults are recognizable by a white head and tail, a yellow hooked bill, and broad wings that may span up to 7.5 feet. Bald eagles use rising air to soar while searching for fish, waterbirds, and carrion, then descend to take food at the surface or from shore.
Scientifically named Haliaeetus leucocephalus, which roughly translates to "white-headed sea eagle," the bald eagle is classified in the kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata, and the class Aves. It belongs to the order Accipitriformes (the diurnal birds of prey) and the family Accipitridae, which it shares with hawks, kites, and Old World vultures.
Sea eagles diverged from other birds of prey millions of years ago and are associated primarily with aquatic food sources rather than the interior of terrestrial forests. The word "bald" in the common name comes from an older use of the word meaning white. Bald eagles acquire the white head and tail of adult plumage at about five years of age.
The anatomy of a bald eagle supports flight, visual acuity, and grasping prey. Pneumatized bones help keep the skeleton light while broad wings provide lift during extended soaring.
An eagle's eyes are roughly the same size as a human's but contain a high density of photoreceptors. Two foveae in each eye support forward and peripheral focus, helping the bird detect fish and other food from the air.
The lower legs are unfeathered, and the feet have large flexor muscles and curved talons. Estimates commonly describe their grip as roughly ten times stronger than a human hand, helping bald eagles hold fish, waterbirds, and other prey during takeoff.
The bald eagle is native to North America, ranging from Alaska and northern Canada through the contiguous United States and into northern Mexico.
Bald eagles commonly nest in mature trees near coasts, lakes, wetlands, and large rivers where fish and other food are available. When northern waters freeze, some birds move hundreds of miles to areas with open water. Winter gatherings often occur below hydroelectric dams, where fish may be concentrated or stunned.
Bald eagles are opportunistic carnivores. Fish make up much of their diet, but they also eat waterfowl, small mammals such as rabbits, crustaceans, and carrion. They sometimes obtain food through kleptoparasitism, taking prey captured by another animal.
When hunting, a bald eagle watches from a perch or searches while soaring. After locating a fish near the surface, it descends in a shallow glide and extends its talons shortly before contact, often continuing forward rather than entering the water.
Bald eagles scavenge winter-killed deer, salmon carcasses, and other carrion. They also pursue smaller raptors such as ospreys until the other bird releases a fish, which the eagle may catch in the air or retrieve from the water.
Bald eagles defend nesting territories and often travel alone or in pairs. Larger groups may gather around concentrated winter food sources.
Long-term pairs may defend territories of about 2 to 6 square miles from other eagles. During aerial displays, two birds may lock talons and descend while rotating before separating above the ground. Such displays occur during courtship and territorial interactions.
A pair builds a stick nest, usually high in a mature tree, and may add material when reusing it in later years. Bald eagles build the largest nests recorded for a North American bird; long-used nests can reach 10 feet across and weigh more than a ton.
The female typically lays 1 to 3 eggs, which incubate for roughly 35 days. Earlier-hatched chicks may dominate smaller siblings when competing for food, and sibling deaths sometimes occur. Eaglets fledge at about 10 to 12 weeks. Juveniles are mostly dark brown and acquire the white head and tail, along with sexual maturity, at roughly five years. Wild bald eagles generally live 20 to 30 years.
(Population and conservation trend data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species)
The bald eagle is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN and has an increasing population trend.
By the mid-20th century, bald eagle numbers had fallen sharply in the contiguous United States. DDT accumulated through food webs and caused eggshell thinning, reducing nesting success. The 1972 DDT ban and federal protections were followed by population recovery. Current threats include lead poisoning from ammunition fragments in carcasses, power-line collisions, and loss or disturbance of nesting habitat.
Raptor feet vary with prey and hunting environment. The harpy eagle talon guide shows how one forest eagle is specialized for retaining heavy arboreal mammals.
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Accipitriformes
Family
Accipitridae
Genus
Haliaeetus
Species
H. leucocephalus
A bald eagle is not really bald—it has white feathers on its head.
Eagle nests can weigh more than a ton and grow larger every year.
An eagle can spot a fish from hundreds of feet above the water.
When diving for prey, a bald eagle can reach speeds near 100 mph.
Eagles have hollow bones that make their bodies lighter for flight.
Young eagles are mostly brown and do not get a white head until about age five.
Select a question to reveal the answer.
A bald eagle is a large North American sea eagle with sharp vision, a hooked beak, and strong talons. It is the national bird of the United States.
Bald eagles live across North America near lakes, rivers, coasts, and wetlands. They need open water where they can find fish and other prey.
Eagles are carnivores that eat fish, waterfowl, small mammals, and carrion. Fish is a favorite food for bald eagles.
The word bald once meant white or patchy white. Adult bald eagles have a white head and tail, which gave them the name.
Eagles usually soar at moderate speeds, but when diving for prey a bald eagle can reach about 100 mph.
A baby eagle is called an eaglet. Eaglets hatch from eggs and stay in the nest while parents bring food.
An adult bald eagle can have a wingspan of about 6 to 7.5 feet. Females are usually larger than males.
Bald eagles were once endangered in the United States, but protection laws helped them recover. They are now listed as Least Concern.
Adult eagles usually live in pairs, not large flocks. A mated pair may defend a territory and raise chicks together.
Eagles watch from high perches or while soaring, then swoop down to grab prey with their talons. They often hunt near water for fish.
Related animals
