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Bald Eagle

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Birds

                   iBald Eagle

                             Conservation status

   Least Concern (LC)
            Scientific classification

   Kingdom: Animalia
   Phylum:  Chordata
   Class:   Aves
   Order:   Falconiformes
   Family:  Accipitridae
   Genus:   Haliaeetus
   Species: H. leucocephalus

                                Binomial name

   Haliaeetus leucocephalus
   (Linnaeus, 1766)

   The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), also known as the American
   Eagle, is a bird of prey found in North America, most recognizable as
   the national bird of the United States.

   The species was on the brink of extinction in the USA late in the 20th
   century, but now has a stable population and is in the process of being
   removed from the U.S. federal government's list of endangered species.

   This eagle gets both its common and scientific names from the
   distinctive appearance of the adult's head. Bald in the English name
   refers to the white head feathers, and the scientific name is derived
   from Haliaeetus, the New Latin for "sea eagle," (from the Greek
   haliaetos) and leucocephalus, the Greek for "white head," from leukos
   ("white") and kephale ("head").

Range, habitat, and restoration

   The Bald Eagle's natural range covers most of North America, including
   most of Canada, all of the continental United States, and northern
   Mexico. The bird itself is able to live in most of North America's
   varied habitats from the bayous of Louisiana to the Sonoran desert and
   the eastern deciduous forests of Quebec and New England. It can be a
   migratory bird but it also is not unheard of for a nesting pair to
   overwinter in its breeding area.

   Once a common sight in much of the continent, the Bald Eagle was
   severely affected by the use of the pesticide DDT in the mid-twentieth
   century. While the pesticide itself was not lethal to the bird, it made
   an eagle either sterile or unable to lay healthy eggs: the eagle would
   ingest the chemical through its food and then lay eggs that were too
   brittle to withstand the weight of a brooding adult. By the 1960's
   there were fewer than 500 nesting pairs in the 48 contiguous states of
   the USA. Currently it is still slowly but steadily recovering its
   numbers; Organizations like the (F.O.E.) Fraternal Order of Eagles
   which carry the Eagle as their emblem, have helped the American Bald
   Eagle on its recovery, by supporting other groups that rescue and
   preserve the Eagles and their habitat. The Bald Eagle can be found in
   growing concentrations throughout the United States and Canada,
   particularly near large bodies of water. The U.S. state with the
   largest resident population is Alaska; out of the estimated 70,000 Bald
   Eagles on Earth, half live there.

   Permits are required to keep this species. As a rule, the Bald Eagle is
   a poor choice for public shows, being timid, prone to becoming highly
   stressed, and unpredictable in nature.

   This species has occurred as a vagrant once in Ireland. The exhausted
   specimen was discovered by a national parks worker in a northern heath.
   Presumably, a storm blew it out to sea, and the bird struggled across
   the Atlantic Ocean.

   The only Bald Eagle to be hatched outside North America was born on May
   3, 2006 in a zoo in the German city of Magdeburg.

Description

   Adult at Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park, North Devon, England
   Enlarge
   Adult at Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park, North Devon, England

   An immature Bald Eagle has speckled brown plumage, the distinctive
   white head and body developing 2–3 years later, before sexual maturity.
   This species is distinguishable from the Golden Eagle in that the
   latter has feathers which extend down the legs.

   Adult females have an average wingspan of about 2.1 meters (7 feet);
   adult males have a wingspan of 2 meters (6 feet, 6 inches). Adult
   females weigh approximately 5.8 kg (12.8 lb), males weigh 4.1 kg
   (9 lb). The smallest specimens are those from Florida, where an adult
   male may barely exceed 2.3 kg (5 lb) and a wingspan of 1.83 meters (6
   feet). The largest are of the Alaskan races, where large females may
   exceed 7 kg (15.5 lb) and have a wingspan of approximately 2.4 meters
   (8 feet). Bald Eagles are powerful fliers, and also soar on thermal
   convection currents.

   In the wild, Bald Eagles can live about 20 - 30 years, and have a
   maximum life span of approximately 50 years. They generally live longer
   in captivity; up to 60 years old.

   Bald Eagles normally squeak and have a shrill cry, punctuated by
   grunts. They do not make the "eagle scream" as often shown on the
   television. What many recognize as the call of this species is actually
   the call of a Red-tailed Hawk dubbed into the film.

Reproduction

   Two bald eagle chicks
   Enlarge
   Two bald eagle chicks

   Bald Eagles build huge nests out of branches, usually in large trees
   near water. The nest may stretch as large as eight feet across and
   weigh up to a ton (907kg). When breeding where there are no trees, the
   Bald Eagle will nest on the ground.

   Eagles that are old enough to breed often return to the area where they
   were born. An adult looking for a site is likely to select a spot that
   contains other breeding Bald Eagles.

   Bald Eagles are sexually mature at 4 or 5 years old. Eagles produce
   between one and three eggs per year, but it is rare for all three
   chicks to successfully fly. Both the male and female take turns sitting
   on the eggs. The other parent will hunt for food or look for nest
   material.

Diet

   The Bald Eagle's diet is varied, including carrion, fish, smaller
   birds, rodents, and sometimes food scavenged or stolen from campsites
   and picnics. Most prey is quite a bit smaller than the eagle, but rare
   predatory attacks on large birds such as the Snow Goose, the Great Blue
   Heron or even swans have been recorded. Also, fairly large salmon and
   trout have been taken as well.

   To hunt fish, easily their most important live prey, the eagle swoops
   down over the water and snatches the fish out of the water with its
   talons. They eat by holding the fish in one claw and tearing the flesh
   with the other. Eagles have structures on their toes called spiricules
   that allow them to grasp fish. Osprey also have this adaptation. Bald
   Eagles have powerful talons. In one case, an eagle was able to fly off
   with the 6.8 kg (15 lb) carcass of a Mule Deer fawn.

   Sometimes, if the fish is too heavy to lift, the eagle will be dragged
   into the water. It may swim to safety, but some eagles drown or succumb
   to hypothermia. Occasionally, Bald Eagles will pirate fish away from
   Ospreys and usually the smaller raptors will have to give up their
   prey, a practice known as kleptoparasitism.

National bird of the U.S.

   Bald Eagle
   Enlarge
   Bald Eagle
   Bald Eagle at Yellowstone National Park
   Enlarge
   Bald Eagle at Yellowstone National Park

   The Bald Eagle is the national bird of the United States of America. It
   is probably one of the country's most recognizable symbols, and appears
   on most of its official seals, including the Seal of the President of
   the United States.

   Its national significance dates back to June 20, 1782, when the
   Continental Congress officially adopted the current design for the
   Great Seal of the United States including a Bald Eagle grasping arrows
   and an olive branch with its talons. Some states had earlier adopted
   the bird as a symbol; for example New York State did so in 1778.

   In 1784, after the end of the Revolutionary War, Benjamin Franklin
   wrote a famous letter to his daughter from Paris criticizing the choice
   and suggesting the Wild Turkey's character as a desirable trait:

          For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the
          Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral
          character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have
          seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too
          lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing
          Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish,
          and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and
          young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.

          With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those
          among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor
          and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little
          King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and
          drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a
          proper Emblem for the brave and honest country of America who
          have driven all the King birds from our Country . . .

          I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known
          as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the
          Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal
          a true original Native of America . . . He is besides, though a
          little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate
          to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume
          to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.

   Despite Franklin's objections, the Bald Eagle remained the emblem of
   the United States. It can be found on both national seals and on the
   back of several coins (including the quarter dollar coin until 1999),
   with its head oriented towards the olive branch.

Bald Eagles as religious objects

   The Bald Eagle is a sacred bird in some North American cultures and its
   feathers, like those of the Golden Eagle, are central to many religious
   and spiritual customs amongst Native Americans. Some Native Americans
   revere eagles as sacred religious objects, including the feathers and
   other parts and are often compared to the Bible and crucifix (See
   References).

   Eagle feathers are often used in traditional ceremonies and are used to
   honour noteworthy achievements and qualities such as exceptional
   leadership and bravery.

   Despite modern and historic Native American practices of giving eagle
   feathers to non-Native Americans and Native American members of other
   tribes who have been deemed worthy, current eagle feather law
   stipulates that only individuals of certifiable Native American
   ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally
   authorized to obtain Bald or Golden Eagle feathers for religious or
   spiritual use.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bald_Eagle"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
