Common name: Bald Eagle
Scientific name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Conservation Status: Least Concern
At the zoo: Meredith (female, 30y) and Max (male, 26y) - these eagles are rescues, injured in the wild and deemed non-releasable by a wildlife rescue organization.
Habitat:
Bald Eagles are found throughout North America in Canada and the United States. They live near water and will frequent coastal areas and lakes where fish are abundant.
Diet:
A major part of the Bald Eagle's diet consists of fish like herring and salmon, however they will also eat reptiles, insects, invertebrates, small mammals like mice and rabbits, and carrion.
Life Expectancy:
17 years
Biology:
Bald Eagles have dark brown feathers on the majority of their bodies with the exception of the white feathers on their tails and their heads, giving them the "bald" appearance. They have long sharp claws that allow them to catch and kill prey and hooked beaks that allow them to pick apart their catch with ease.
Bald eagle populations have been healthy thanks to a decrease in unintentional poisonings from the use of DDT and lead. Habitat protection and hunting regulations have also helped the species recover throughout its geographical range.
Fun Fact:
Did you know the largest Bald Eagle nest ever recorded was 3 meters (9.5 feet) wide and 6 meters (20 feet) deep? It weighed more than 2 tons!
