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The bald eagle was chosen on June 20, 1782 as the emblem of the United States of America, because of its long life, great strength and majestic looks.
Bald Eagles live near large bodies of open water such as lakes, marshes, seacoasts and rivers.
Eagles feed mainly on fish, but they also eat anything that can be caught easily or is found dead. But, they can’t lift more than four pounds.
Bald Eagles are one of the largest birds in North America. Adult eagles generally weigh between 7 to 15 pounds and have a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet. Females are slightly larger than males.
Bald eagles mate for life and can reach the age of 40.
Baby eagles are brown and white. The female lays 1 to 3 eggs, and the eggs take between 1 to 1 1/2 months to hatch. Both the male and female take turns sitting on the eggs. After the eggs hatch both the male and female feed the hatchlings until they learn to fly (about 3 months).
The distinct white head and tail of the mature bird is developed between 4 and 6 years of age. The beak and eyes turn yellow between 4 and 5 years of age, and are brown prior to that time.
Their eyesight is very powerful, at least 3 to 4 times greater than that of humans. |
