Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

The bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States, is a large, dark-colored raptor. Adults have:

• A pure white head and tail.
• A massive, hooked yellow bill.
• Feathers that only reach halfway down the legs, leaving the ankle area "naked."

Bald eagles grow to about 43 inches, with a wingspan of up to 7 feet. In flight, bald eagles hold their wings flat and straight.

Where does the bald eagle live?

Bald eagles are common throughout the Chesapeake region, particularly in sparsely developed areas near water.

• The largest breeding populations are in Dorchester County, Maryland, and along the James, Potomac and Rappahannock rivers.
• Bald eagles raised near the Bay usually stay in the region their entire lives.
• The Chesapeake is also an important migratory route during spring and fall for bald eagles from northern and southern parts of North America.

What does the bald eagle eat?

Bald eagles are opportunistic predator-scavengers, consuming many species of fish, birds and mammals. Eagles eat fish when they are available, and shift to waterfowl and mammals during colder months when fish are scarce.

Bald eagles hunt by perching atop a tree to wait, then swooping down and grasping their prey with their talons.

What does the bald eagle sound like?

Bald eagles make a sharp, cackling kleek-kik-ik-ik-ik or a lower kak-kak-kak.

Where do bald eagles nest and breed?

In the Bay region, bald eagles build or repair their massive nests in early winter. Nests are made of large sticks and are usually located near the top of mature loblolly pine trees close to water.

• The female lays one to three eggs between January and March.
• Chicks typically leave the nest at 10 to 12 weeks of age, from May through July. They rely on their parents for a number of weeks after their first flights.
• From age one to about age four, bald eagles are considered "immature." They vary in color from all brown to mottled brown and white, depending on the exact age. The head and tail do not turn white until a bald eagle reaches adulthood.
• Immature bald eagles do not establish breeding territory, but instead move throughout the Bay region to find food.

Other facts about the bald eagle:

• Bald eagles can be confused with ospreys. You can distinguish a bald eagle by its pure white head and "naked" ankles.