The Eagle

                                          The Eagle

The bald eagle may appear bald because of its white head. But in fact, the name is derived from the Old English word "balde," meaning white. These graceful birds have been the national symbol of the United States since 1782.

Common Name: Bald Eagle

Scientific Name: Halietus leucocephalus

Writing: Birds

Diet: Carnivore

Group Name: Calling

Average Lifespan in the Wild: 20 to 30 Years

Size: Body Length: 28 to 38 Inches; Wingspan: 80 Inches

Weight: 6 to 14 Pounds

Bald eagles were once nearly extinct due to hunting and pollution. But laws enacted about 40 years ago helped protect them, and they have made a comeback.

Female bald eagles are slightly larger than males. Their bodies can reach up to 1 meter in length, and their wingspan can reach 2-4 meters. That's roughly the distance from floor to ceiling!

Eagle nests are called "iris." Bald eagles build their nests high in tall trees for their eggs to be safe. Some parents return to the same nest year after year, adding more sticks, twigs, and grass each time.

The young eagles, called pups, are born light gray and then turn brown. When they are four or five years old, they develop their natural white heads and tails. In the wild, they can live up to 35 years or more.

Bald eagles can soar at heights of over 3,048 meters (10,000 feet), and their powerful eyesight enables them to spot fish up to a mile (1.6 kilometers) away. When they attack, they land at speeds of up to 161 kilometers per hour! They then glide just above the water, grab a fish with their feet, and fly away to devour it.