Bird of the Day - Bald Eagle

Our national bird is the bald eagle.  Here are some interesting facts about this majestic bird:

1. The common and scientific names of the bald eagle refer to the white feathers.  "Balde" is the old English word for white.
2. The scientific name for the bald eagle is Haliaeetus leucocephalus.  Haliaeetus means sea eagle or fish eagle.  Leuco means white.  Cephalus means head.
3. Bald eagles do not get their full white head and tail until they are 3 - 5 years old.  In their first year, they totally lack the white head and tail as well as the yellow bill.
4. Bald eagles are known to have lived for 25 years in the wild, and 50 years in captivity.
5. A bald eagle can exert 400 lbs. of pressure with its talons.
6. Females are larger than males (reverse sexual dimorphism).
7. Females weigh up to 9 lbs. in Florida, and 16 lbs. in Alaska.  Larger animals generally do better in colder environments.
8. Bald eagle populations were decimated by hunting and D.D.T.  Until relatively recently, they were very rare.  They are now common, and their comeback has been a huge success story.
9. It is illegal to possess bald eagle feathers without a permit.
10. Lead is one of the biggest killers of bald eagles.  They often time get poisoned from hunter's gut piles which contain pieces of lead shot.  It is better for the eagles if hunters use copper shot.
11. Benjamin Franklin wanted the wild turkey to be our national bird because he claimed the eagle was a scavenger and a coward.  
1. The eagle does scavenge, but also hunts and is skilled at catching fish.  
2. When eagles are choosing mates, they fly to high elevations, lock talons, and free fall.  The male who holds on the longest wins the affections of the female.  Based on that evidence, the eagles are neither pure scavengers or cowards.
12. A bald eagle can see a rabbit running about 3-miles away.  It has monocular and binocular visions, meaning it can look in two directions at once.
13. A great place to visit (after the pandemic) is the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minnesota.  Many of the facts above are found on their website (https://www.nationaleaglecenter.org).
14. A fun way to watch bald eagles close up is on the Decorah Eagle Cam.  The website is https://www.raptorresource.org/birdcams/decorah-eagles/.  You can also link to several other great bird cams from that site.