Project Description
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Range/Geographical Distribution: Breeds from Alaska to Newfoundland and south to California, Great Lakes, Virginia, Arizona, Gulf Coast, Florida, and Georgia.
Habitat: Typically forested areas near lakes, rivers, marshes, and seacoasts.
Similar Species: Osprey.
Description: Large blackish eagle with a white head and tail and a heavy yellow bill.
Size: Length: 28-38” Wingspan: 80” Weight: 3000-6300g
Food: Fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, invertebrates including crabs, and mammals including rabbits and muskrats.
Breeding: Builds very large nests made of sticks laid high in treetops and sometimes on cliffs. Produces three or four white eggs.
Predators: The bald eagle is considered an apex predator, having no natural predators.
Conservation Status: In the early 1900s, the bald eagle was rare. It was placed on the Endangered Species list in1978 due to excessive trapping, shooting, and poisoning from DDT. By the 1990’s, breeding populations could be found throughout most of North America. In 2007, the bald eagle was removed from the Endangered Species List.
Interesting Facts: Juvenile bald eagles spend the first four years of their lives in nomadic exploration, often traveling hundreds of miles each day.
On the Coast: Georgia’s bald eagle population is on the rise with nests in 1/3 of the 159 counties. Georgia’s coast accounts for most of the nests in the state.