When an eagle eats dead animals that have been shot, leadshot poisoning is one factor of an eagle's eventual death. If the eagle digested too much lead, it will lead to high toxic levels. The bald eagle may not die immediately, but eventually suffers from the effects of the poisoning. The bald eagle may also die from other types of poisoning. The poisons that are used by farmers are so strong that even a tiny bit can continue to kill third, fourth and even fifth generations of wildlife.
Electrocution is another cause of death.
A bald eagle sitting on a high voltage power pole may accidentally touch the power source. When this happens, the bird, unfortunately, will be killed. Bald eagles may also fly directly into power lines that are not visible in poor weather conditions. As shocking as it may seem, hunting still is a great danger to bald eagles, although laws prohibit the shooting of eagles. At one time in history, people were rewarded with bounties for killing eagles and turning in their talons or body parts because eagles were believed to kill livestock.