From Opus

Photo by Ioway
Southeast Iowa, USA, 2009

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

[edit] Identification

L. 30-31" (76-79 cm)
W. 6-7' 6" (1.8-2.3 m)

• Large blackish eagle
• White head and tail
• Heavy yellow bill
  

Immature birds lack the white head and tail (resembling adult Golden Eagle). The have a black bill and a varying amount of white plumage.

Immature
Photo by Jim Crosswell
Windsor, Ontario, July 2008

[edit] Distribution

Breeds from Alaska east to Newfoundland and south locally to California, Great Lakes, and Virginia; also in Arizona, along Gulf Coast, and in Florida. Formerly more widespread. Winters along coasts and large rivers in much of United States.

[edit] Endangered Status

The Bald Eagle is on the U.S. Endangered Species List.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

There are 2 subspecies:

• H. l. washingtoniensis:

• Locally in Aleutian Islands, Alaska, Canada and northern US

• H. l. leucocephalus:

• Locally from southern US to north-western Mexico

A third subspecies alascanus^[2] is not recognised by all authorities.

[edit] Habitat

Lakes, rivers, marshes, and seacoasts.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

They build a large nest of sticks on top of a cliff or in a tall tree. Two to three white eggs are laid.

[edit] Diet

Their main diet is fish, which is snatched from the surface of water. Alternatively they will rob an Osprey of its catch

[edit] Vocalisation

Squeaky cackling and thin squeals.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Avibase
3. eNature

• List of references

[edit] External Links