BALD EAGLE

Scientific Name: Halieatus leucocephalus

Range & Habitat: High cliffs, wetlands, and tall timber forests near coastal areas of North America

Size: 30-37 inches in length; 6-8' wingspan

Life Span: 30 years in wild; 50 years in captivity

Incubation: 32-35 days; two to three eggs. Young fledge at 3-4 months

Wild Diet: Fish, small birds, rodents and carrion

Zoo Diet: Rats, trout, carnivore diet and mackerel

Habits: The bald eagle is one of the sea eagles and is seldom found far from water, lakes, and the seacoast. Excellent eyesight, strong hooked beaks and powerful taloned feet make it a skillful hunter, and often the bald eagle will scavenge and steal from other birds of prey.

Eagles mate for life and build huge nests that are renewed each year, some reaching up to 13 feet tall! Both parents care for the young eaglets, which stay with the parents for about three months. Young eagles have dark head and tail feathers until they mature at four to five years of age.

Status: Threatened in the lower 48 states. It is a federal crime to injure or kill a bald eagle or possess any part of the body, including feathers, eggs, bones and parts of its nests.