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Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Photo by ShannonMorton
Published on Project Noah
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30.5335, -95.3502

Field Notes

Description:

Color - Both male and female adult bald eagles have a blackish-brown back and breast; a white head, neck, and tail; and yellow feet and bill.
Juvenile bald eagles are a mixture of brown and white. They reach full maturity in four to five years.
Size - The female bald eagle is 35 to 37 inches, slightly larger than the male. Wingspan ranges from 72 to 90 inches.

Habitat:

The Bald Eagle prefers habitats near seacoasts, rivers, large lakes, oceans, and other large bodies of open water with an abundance of fish. Studies have shown a preference for bodies of water with a circumference greater than 11 km (7 mi), and lakes with an area greater than 10 square kilometers (4 sq mi) are optimal for breeding Bald Eagles.The Bald Eagle requires old-growth and mature stands of coniferous or hardwood trees for perching, roosting, and nesting. Selected trees must have good visibility, an open structure, and proximity to prey, but the height or species of tree is not as important as an abundance of comparatively large trees surrounding the body of water. Forests used for nesting should have a canopy cover of no more than 60 percent, and no less than 20 percent, and be in close proximity to water

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PublishedFebruary 20, 2012

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