Bald eagle (juvenile)

Description:

The plumage of an adult Bald Eagle is evenly brown with a white head and tail. The tail is moderately long and slightly wedge-shaped. Males and females are identical in plumage coloration, but sexual dimorphism is evident in the species in that females are 25 percent larger than males. The beak, feet and irides are bright yellow. The legs are feather-free, and the toes are short and powerful with large talons. The highly developed talon of the hind toe is used to pierce the vital areas of prey while it is held immobile by the front toes. The beak is large and hooked, with a yellow cere. The plumage of the immature is brown, speckled with white until the fifth (rarely fourth, very rarely third) year, when it reaches sexual maturity. Immature Bald Eagles are distinguishable from the Golden Eagle in that the former has a more protruding head with a larger beak, straighter edged wings which are held flat (not slightly raised) and with a stiffer wing beat, and feathers which do not completely cover the legs. The Bald Eagle has sometimes been considered the largest true raptor in North America, although the species overlaps in size with the American races of the Golden Eagle. It is certainly a large bird, with a body length of 28–40 in. The wingspan is typically between 5.9 and 7.5 ft and mass is usually between 5.5 and 15 lb. Females are about 25 percent larger than males, averaging 13 lb and against the males' average weight of 9.0 lb.

Habitat:

Tennessee River, Mussel Shoals, AL