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Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
37.3798, -77.3347
Field Notes
Description:
- It takes about 4 years for their white head/tail feathers to come in,
- They have 7,000 feathers.
- Females' wing spans are 79-90 inches (longer than our dining room tables!)
- Average weight: 10-14 lbs.
- Bald Eagles' bodies average 3' long.
- Life expectancy: 15-20 years in the wild. A captive eagle at West Stephentown, NY lived to be 48 years old.
- Body temp: about 106 degrees.
- Flight altitudes of 10,000 feet
- Flight speeds of 30-35 mph
Habitat:
- south of Richmond, VA, USA.
- on James River near route 295's Varina-Enon bridge
Notes:
She abandoned her first (fish) meal and flew away to chase off an intruder female in her nest. She then loudly chastised her male mate.
One shot caught her eyes' nictating membrane. I read that these move horizontally every 4-5 seconds and help her maintain sharp vision by protecting/cleaning her eyes.
The last shot shows her rubbing (cleaning off) her beak - much like parrots do.
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