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Bald EagleBald Eagles are making a recovery, after years of decline caused by DDT and habitat destruction. They are awesome predators. They inhabit all 50 United States. They can live more than 50 years. Eagles are amazing fliers, soaring easily with only a few flaps of their wings, then catching rising air currents (thermals) in order to spiral up to amazing heights. Bald Eagles are impressively large and powerful. Female Bald Eagles have a wingspan up to 7 feet, and males up to 6 feet 6 inches. Adult females can weigh nearly 13 pounds. Adult males weigh about 9 pounds. They primarily feed on fish, and they are not above scavenging or stealing fish from other predators.
The Bald Eagle is the national bird of the United States of America. It is easy to see why... with a unique mix of power, beauty, and skill, they are one of the most impressive birds in the world. This Bald Eagle was seen catching a fish over a lake. He took it up to a pine tree to eat it, but when he saw me from across the lake (with his eagle eyes), he took his fish and flew away.
Bald Eagles will watch Ospreys catch fish, then intimidate the Osprey into dropping the fish. I have observed this personally. Ben Franklin observed this also... saying "For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labor of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him."
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