Throughout history, few birds have evoked more emotions than eagles. They serve as symbols of valor and power on many national shields. Eagles are respected and protected on one hand, and hated and condemned, with bounties placed on their heads, on the other.

The bald eagle was adopted as our national emblem by Congress in 1798 well after the Declaration of Independence was signed. Benjamin Franklin opposed the choice in favor of the wild turkey.  Others opposed the choice as they felt their carrion eating habits hardly inspired respect and attacks on smaller weaker birds did not exemplify the best in American character.  The familiar caricature of an eagle clutching an olive branch in one foot and a bundle of arrows in the other is imprinted on our currency; seen at the entrances of public buildings and used as a decoration almost everywhere.

Unlike its nobler cousin, the Golden Eagle, the Bald Eagle is primarily a fisherman, found mostly in the vicinity of larger lakes and streams.   Fish is sometimes stolen from osprey.  The rest of the diet is made up of small mammals such as muskrats, water birds and carrion.   As a result, many of the eagle populations began suffering serious losses a few decades ago during the height of the indiscriminate use of DDT. Their near demise, as well as similar problems experienced by other predators at the top of their food chains at that time, served as a warning about the quality of the environment.

Eagles are slowly recovering, thanks to the ban on widespread use of harsh pesticides; and so the prospect of being represented by an extinct national emblem has been, at least, temporarily postponed.

The Bald Eagle is easily recognized by its white head and tail, yellow bill and blackish brown body.  They large birds, 35 to 40 inches in length with a wingspan of 8 feet.

The courtship rituals which leads to long term pair bonds are spectacular, including locking talons a great heights and tumbling earthward in a series of summersaults.

They nest between 10 and 150 ft above the  ground, usually near water. The nest consists of a heap of sticks that is renovated and enlarged each year and may grow to an enormous size.  Clutches consist of 1-3 dull white eggs.   Both mates share in incubation which takes about 35 days.  The young birds leave the nest after 10 weeks.

Length: 30 to 31 inches.