Bald Eagle

## Our national symbol

The founders of the United States wanted a bird to symbolize a nation they hoped would be strong and powerful, a bird that could soar high in the sky to represent freedom. They chose the bald eagle, a bird of prey found only in North America. You can see images of bald eagles on coins, stamps, and much more.

## Are bald eagles really bald?

No! Their heads are covered with short white feathers. The term bald may be from the Old English word *balde* that meant white. Bald eagles are sometimes called American eagles, fishing eagles, Washington eagles, and white-headed eagles. They belong to a scientific grouping of eagles known as sea eagles or fish eagles that includes the Stellar’s sea eagle.

## Eagle eye

If someone says you have eagle eyes, take it as a compliment. It means you can see things that others might not notice. Bald eagles can see four to seven times better than humans! They are able to see things sharply from quite far away. This, of course, helps them spot their next meal from high in the sky or from a lofty perch in a tree or cliff ledge. However, unlike our eyes, an eagle’s eyes can’t move from side to side. So to look around, the eagle has to turn its whole head.

## Got fish?

Bald eagles live near bodies of water to be close to their favorite food - fish! No need for a fishing pole - bald eagles come equipped with spiny scales and sharp talons on their toes for gripping slippery fish. A hungry eagle waits on its favorite perch until it spies a fat fish near the surface. It can swoop down on the water and quickly grab a fish with those special feet. Then, holding tight, the eagle flies back to its nest or a convenient perch in a tree to enjoy its meal. A powerful, hooked beak helps the eagle rip into its food.

Bald eagles are still numerous in Alaska and gather in huge groups around Alaskan rivers when salmon are abundant. When fish are scarce, bald eagles hunt rabbits, squirrels, other birds, and even young deer. They have also been known to steal food from other birds!

## The dating game

It is believed that bald eagles choose a mate for life. To impress each other, a male and female perform a special courtship dance in the sky. They lock on to each other’s talons and tumble and twist in the air. At the last second, they let go, just before reaching the ground! To be successful parents, eagles need to find a home where the fishing is good, with large trees for nesting and little disturbance from humans.

## Home, sweet nest

Most birds make nests of some sort in which to lay their eggs, but bald eagles are master nest builders. A pair makes a large nest high in a sturdy tree, or sometimes on the ground if no tree is around, and come back to it year after year, adding more twigs, grass, moss, feathers, and branches to the original nest until it becomes huge.

Sometimes a nest gets so heavy over the years that its supporting branches break, and the nest comes crashing down! Then the eagle pair has to start all over again. Once the nest is to the eagles’ liking, the female lays one to three eggs, and both parents take turns keeping the eggs warm day and night until they hatch.

## It's tough to be an eaglet

    Eagle mothers lay their eggs several days apart, once a year. The first eaglet (chick) to hatch gets an advantage over its younger siblings, since it has had several days to grow! In fact, the biggest eaglet usually fights for the most food from its parents, and it may even kill its smaller, younger siblings. This is a survival strategy for the eagles - it ensures that at least one chick gets a good chance at living to adulthood. Both parents help care for the eaglets. The mother does most of the chick-sitting, and the father provides the food for the family.

Eaglets are a fluffy, light gray color when they hatch. They turn dark brown just before they leave the nest at about 12 weeks old. Their head and neck feathers don’t turn white until they are mature. Life is rough for young eagles, and most don’t survive their first year.