Bald Eagle Pictures

Bald Eagle
(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

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Bald Eagle Adult (At least 4th year)	Bald Eagle Juvenile (1st year plumage)

We plan to add more Bald Eagle Pictures in the future.

Below is a live video feed of the Bald Eagle nest at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, Maryland. Over the last three seasons, they've seen a total of seven eaglets hatch and fledge. The 1st egg was laid on January 26 and hatched on March 3rd. The 2nd egg was laid on January 30 and hatched on March 6th. Expected fledging is early to mid-May.

Live Bald Eagle Webcam

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The Bald Eagle is the National Emblem of the U.S and breeds only in North America.

The American Eagle is a fantastic book with stunning Bald Eagle photos by wildlife photographer, John Pezzenti Jr.

Subspecies

There are two recognized subspecies of Bald Eagles. The Northern (Canada/Alaska) subspecies (Haliaeetus leucocephalus alascensis) and the Southern subspecies (Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus) that breeds in the lower 48 states. The separation of the two subspecies by whether or not they bread North of South of the Canada/US border is arbitrary.

A.C. Bent (1937) stated that the Southern Bald Eagle probably did not extend North of South Carolina in the East, the Gulf States and Southern California. The justification of two subspecies is partially based on size differences between Northern and Southern individuals.

Size

According to Photographic Guide to North American Raptors, Wheeler & Clark 1995), The range in Length, Wingspan and Weight as follows: (No sex or sub-specific differences are shown).

Length: 27-35 inches (70-90 cm)

Wingspan: 71-89 inches (180-225 cm)

Weight: 4.4-13.6 lbs (2.0-6.2 kg)

Distribution & Habitat

Bald Eagles are now fairly common breeders around coastlines or large bodies of water in Florida, Chesapeake Bay, Coastal Maine, Maritime Provinces of Canada, undeveloped areas of the Great Lakes, Yellowstone, Alberta, Ontario, and the Pacific North-West from Northern California to Alaska.

Bald Eagles can be found throughout North America during Winter around open water.

History

Bald Eagles historically nested in Alaska and in all of the lower 48 states. (All states except Hawaii).

In 1963 only 417 nesting pairs were known in the lower 48 states and in 1967, the Bald Eagle was protected by the Endangered Species Act. The Bald Eagle was listed as Endangered in areas South of the 40th parallel.

Bald Eagles have never been Endangered or Threatened in Alaska.

Bald Eagles were listed as Threatened in Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, or Wisconsin, but were never listed as Endangered in those states.

Since 1963, the numbers of nesting Bald Eagles has increased dramatically and in 1995, the status was changed from Endangered to Threatened by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).

Current Status

In 1999, the USFWS proposed that the Bald Eagle be removed from the Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Species. As of Feb 2007, the USFWS is still accepting comments on the proposal.

It was estimated (by USFWS) there were 7,066 nesting pairs of Bald Eagles in lower 48 states in 2006. This estimate is up from 6,471 nesting pairs in 2000.

Migration

Southern Bald Eagles in Florida and the Southern States, can remain near their breeding territories year round, though some birds move Northward during the Summer after the breeding season.

The Northern Bald Eagles and their Southern cousins from the Northern States, migrate South in search of open water. They can remain in Northern areas where there is open water and an adequate food supply.

Immature birds begin to migrate earlier than adults and also travel farther South.

Bald Eagles can be seen at many Raptor Migration sites: Go to Raptor Migration Page

Longevity Record: 30 Years and 9 months; based upon known age of a wild Bald Eagle at banding and subsequent band recovery (Data from Bird Banding Lab (Klimkiewicz 2008).

References for Bald Eagles:

Bent, A.C. 1937. Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey, Order Falconiformes. Part 1. Smithsonian Institution United States National Museum Bulletin 167: 321-333

Klimkiewicz, M. K. 2008. Longevity Records of North American Birds. Version 2008.1. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Bird Banding Laboratory. Laurel MD.

Technical Note. Bureau of Land Management - Dept. of Interior. Habitat Management Series for Endangered Species. Carol Snow. Report No. 5. Southern Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus and Northern Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus alascanus.

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We will be adding more Bald Eagle Pictures, information and references in the future.

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Bald Eagle Pictures