As you can see, Bald Eagles are very resourceful when it comes to finding a meal! Nest, eggs and youngīald Eagles are one of the champion nest builders of the raptor world. Sometimes, when hunting in shallow water, they capture the fish in their beaks.īald Eagles will also occasionally pirate, or steal, fish from Ospreys or other piscivorous, or fish-eating, birds. When they catch fish, they grab them from the surface of the water with their talons. They can be found along roadsides feasting on road-killed deer or elk, on beaches feeding on washed up seals, otters, or whales, and even hanging out at waste dumps and fish-processing plants in the hope of securing an easy meal.īald Eagles tend to search for and hunt prey from a high perch before chasing after it. Bald Eagles also eat carrion, or the remains of dead animals. Though they feed primarily on fish, they are also opportunistic, which means if they have a chance to catch something to eat, they will take it! In fact, Bald Eagles will hunt just about anything they can catch, including mammals, such as rabbits and squirrels birds like ducks, geese and coots reptiles, including turtles and amphibians. Generally speaking, when it comes to food, Bald Eagles aren't picky. Though Bald Eagles are now more common, they still need our help to ensure that they continue to thrive throughout their range. If they are found in time and can be treated, they can sometimes be saved, but sadly, many of them don't survive. The lead poisons the eagles, which makes them very sick. If a Bald Eagle, or any other birds of prey, feeds on the remains of these animals, they unknowingly swallow pieces of lead along with their meal. When an animal, such as a deer, is shot with a lead bullet, the bullet breaks up into tiny pieces that stay inside the animal. The species enjoyed a major recovery and numbers of Bald Eagles have increased greatly, but they still have many obstacles to face, including electrocution and lead poisoning. Biologists began working hard to save the Bald Eagle and the banning of DDT in the United States and Canada certainly helped these efforts. During the mid 1900s, their populations fell sharply in parts of the United States and southern Canada for this reason. Like many other birds of prey, Bald Eagles were harshly affected by the eggshell thinning effects of DDT. When there is plenty of prey to be had, for instance after salmon spawn and die in rivers, hundreds of Bald Eagles may gather for the feast. This behavior is called communal roosting and is not yet completely understood by biologists. In the some parts of their range, particularly during fall and winter months, large numbers of Bald Eagles – sometimes up to several hundred – will roost together in large trees. In the movies, the call of a Red-tailed Hawk can often be heard when an eagle comes on the screen. government seals and stamps, and it has served as inspiration for wildlife painters, sculptors and photographers.ĭespite the Bald Eagle's majestic appearance, its vocalizations are high-pitched chirps that sound like they would come from a much smaller bird. Even Hollywood isn't impressed by the Bald Eagle's call. Indeed, Bald Eagles are beautiful creatures with a lot of personality! With their bright white heads and tails and golden yellow eyes and beaks, Bald Eagles certainly stand out in the looks category. The fact is that Bald Eagles, like all living things, do what they must to survive. What they doīenjamin Franklin was famously not a fan of the Bald Eagle, perhaps because they sometimes steal food from other birds and scavenge on dead animals. However, biologists have learned that when these eagles are not breeding, they are less tied to being near water and may be found in areas farther away from large water sources. Like Osprey, Bald Eagles are often found near large bodies of water such as sea coasts, rivers, swamps and large lakes. Conversely, some Bald Eagles that live farther south will move northward outside of breeding season. This leaves them little choice but to make the long journey south. In some far north regions, lakes and rivers will freeze over, severely limiting the eagle's food options. Those living in the northern-most portion of their range will migrate south during the harsh winter months. Like many raptors in the northern hemisphere, Bald Eagles are partially migratory, which means that some individuals will move to areas outside their breeding range at certain times of the year. Though not cosmopolitan like the Osprey, it is still found in many different habitats throughout its range, which covers most of Alaska, Canada and the contiguous United States all the way south to northern Mexico. The Bald Eagle is found throughout North America. The Peregrine Fund has supported Bald Eagle conservation for decades.
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