Home || Operations || Parksandrecreation || Municipalparks || Phillipsparkzoo || Fact Eagle

Fact Sheet - Bald Eagle

Common Name

Bald Eagle

Scientific Name

Haliaeetus luecocephalus

Facts

• Bald Eagles live along rivers or near lakes with large trees and along ocean coastlines. Nests are built near the top of large trees near the water. Nests are usually 6 feet in diameter and can be up to 6 feet tall.
• Bald Eagles can have a wingspan of 78-96 inches (6-8 feet), can be 30-40 inches long, and can weigh between 8-14 pounds.
• Only adult Bald Eagles have the characteristic white head, neck and tail. This occurs about the age of 4-5 years. Immature Bald Eagles are all dark with some white mottled in the wings and tail.
• Bald Eagles feed mainly on fish, small birds, carrion, rabbits and injured waterfowl.
• Bald Eagles are often brought to rehabilitation centers for a wide variety of reasons. The most common: shot, caught in a leg hold trap, poisoned or hit by cars.
• The Bald Eagle was listed as an endangered species throughout most of the United States, with the exception of Alaska. In 1995 status was changed to “threatened” for the entire United States. There have been recent proposals by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to have them removed from the Endangered Species list completely.