• 

  Profile

• 

  In flight

Birds of Prey

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

• common
• 64 km/h
• Starter
• Least Concern

National bird, national pirate. Frequently steals fish straight from ospreys mid-flight. Patriotic mail with attitude.

Population

~316,700 individuals in the lower-48 U.S. (2020 USFWS), plus Alaska/Canada; increasing

Habitat

near large lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and coastlines with mature nesting trees

Fun fact

Builds the largest tree nests of any North American bird — one Florida nest measured ~2.9 m across, 6 m deep, and weighed roughly 2 metric tons.

Range

North America — Alaska and Canada south to northern Mexico

Diet

primarily fish, plus waterfowl, small mammals, and carrion

Size

0.9 m

Wingspan

2 m

Lifespan

28 years