Northern Bald Eagle
The
Zoo’s bald eagle is included in California Trails.
The use of DDT as a pesticide in the 1960s caused bald eagle populations
to crash and landed them on the Endangered Species list. The species is
rebounding and their status was changed from Endangered to Threatened in
1995.
Range/Habitat: Most of North America and northern Mexico. Wide range of habitats but usually found close to water; large trees and rocky cliffs are chosen as nesting sites.
Description: Adults are easily recognizable by their distinct white heads and tails. Wing span can top seven feet and weight as much as 14 pounds, though the averages are much less. As with most raptors, the females are larger than males. The characteristic white head appears around age four. Spiny scales on the toes (spicules) and sharp talons are for gripping slippery fish.
Breeding: Sexual maturity is at four or five years and eagles mate for life (though if one dies, the survivor often accepts a new mate). Eagle nests (or aeries ) are typically around five feet in diameter. As pairs often return to the same nest year after year, some become enormous. One to three eggs are laid, and the 35-day incubation duties are shared by both parents. Eggs hatch in the order they were laid. At six weeks, the eaglets are nearly as large as their parents and can take their first flights ten to 13 weeks after hatching.
Diet: Fish are a staple food, but bald eagles will also take small mammals and scavenge. Pursuit flight is either a swooping down or a direct dive, prey is then captured with talons.
Status: Species was once classified as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act, primarily due to DDT poisoning. The population has recovered well and is now listed as “threatened.”
Fun Fact: The head helps explain how they got their name: bald eagles are really bald, they are “balde” – an Old English word for “white-headed.”
The Zoo’s Bald Eagles: As a result of an injury in the wild, the Zoo's bald eagle is missing an eye and cannot be re-released into the wild.