Bald Eagle

Description:

Size: length 35-40 inch ; wingspan, to 7 1/2 ft What to look for: large size; head,neck,and tail white;rest of plumage dark brown;immature brown,with whitish wing linings.

Habitat:

Open areas, forest, near water

Notes:

This bird is "bald" not because its head is featherless but because the head of the adult is white - an old meaning of the word. Bald eagles probably mate for life. They build nest in tree,on a cliff, or even on the ground and add to it each year ,using such materials as sticks,weeds,and earth,until it may weigh a thousand pounds or more. One observer saw a bird lift and fly away with the top of a muskrat house-presumably as a handy package of nest makings. Bald eagles eat carrion,waterfowl,and especially fish. In recent years pesticides have often polluted their food,a fact that has contributed to the decline of the bird in many areas.