Bald Eagle Information

Bald Eagle information, when they became America's national symbol, the Endangered Species Act, diet and nesting habits

  
The Bald Eagle, (Haliaetus leucocephalus) is one member of a group of birds referred to as "˜birds of prey', simply meaning, being the carnivorous bird that they are; they need to hunt for their food. Also in this group are falcons, vultures, and hawks. The encyclopedia also refers to this group as "˜raptors', those that seize and carry off their prey. The sight of one of these great birds, the American Bald Eagle, just a few years back and even today in some areas of the United States, warrants a call to the local Department of Natural Resource office. Any information on where the eagle was sighted, how many if you were lucky enough to see more than one, and any other information that could be passed along that might be deemed important in their record keeping of this mighty bird. An act passed in 1940 made it illegal to kill a Bald Eagle in any of the lower 48 states. More laws pertaining to the harm of these great birds came into effect in 1973 with "˜The Endangered Species Act'.

Today, it is possible to see a bald eagle if the time and conditions are right, though a zoo is as close as many people will ever get to see one. An eagle in the wild can often be spied near a road-killed deer, as they are not beyond scavenging a free meal. If you are along a river or a lakeshore, especially in early spring, you might even see a female nesting. The nest is unmistakable in size, made mostly of sticks and twigs, and is used year after year by the nesting mother. These nests are built along water to make sure there is a close supply of food at hand, fish, and at times, waterfowl. They also consume rodents, such as mice and rabbits, and will scavenge nearly any type of dead carcass. Another common spot to sight them, also along a river, is in trees backed by cliffs or rock walls. To see one take flight out of the top of one of these trees, catch the wind, and then swoop down to the river to catch a fish for his dinner, will leave you totally awe inspired by the mastery of flight! Seeing a mother eagle fly near a young one, obviously just out of the nest for one of it's first flights, will also leave you feeling that you have just witnessed one of the earth's greatest wonders.

The Congress chose the Bald Eagle as America's emblem on June 20, 1782. Our nation's seal now shows this majestic "˜King' with his wings spread wide, holding an olive branch in one mighty claw, and arrows in his other claw. The image of the Bald Eagle has went on to grace different coins throughout our history, and is often used as an insignia on different military medals and badges. The Bald Eagle was not the first choice of many involved in the decision of our country's emblem though. It was the turkey that was thought to be a better choice to represent the United States, the Bald Eagle believed to be nothing more than a dirty scavenger and thief.

The female eagle, on average, is larger than the male, often reaching heights over three feet tall with massive wingspans double their height or more. An eagle's wingspan can reach an impressive seven and a half feet wide! Sitting on her nest, usually three eggs, the Bald Eagle has no known enemies other than man and his trappings, including poisons and vehicles. These wonderful birds have fallen prey themselves, to poisons such as lead shot used in hunting waterfowl and different pesticides used on farmers fields. As we learned about the detriment of these chemicals to our Bald Eagle population, it also brought to the forefront the danger similar chemicals may have had on ourselves and our children, thus changing the laws regarding the use of many of these on our private and public lands. While not all of our forefathers may have agreed on the Bald Eagle as the symbol of our great country, they ultimately made a wise decision.