- Why does the Bald Eagle matter?
- Bald Eagle Facts
- Threats to Bald Eagles
- Bald Eagle Geographic Range
- Bald Eagle Permanent Endowment
Why does the Bald Eagle matter?
The bald eagle is important for a lot of reasons. The Bald Eagle represents an amazing adaptation to environmental changes as its ability to survive near human development has helped it rebound from near-extinction after years of being threatened by hunting and habitat loss. The bald eagle is important to people because it has come to symbolize strength and freedom in the United States. It is found in a number of official symbols, including the Great Seal of the United States, state flags, currency, and other logos.
Bald Eagle Facts
- Bald Eagles are the national bird of the United States and a symbol of strength and freedom.
- They can reach wingspans up to 7 feet and weigh up to 14 pounds.
- Females are larger than males, but they look similar with their dark brown bodies and white heads and tails.
- They usually mate for life, build nests every year and lay one to three eggs that hatch in 35 days.
- Bald eagles feed mainly on fish, but they will also eat carrion, rodents or other birds if needed.
- They typically live up to 25-30 years in the wild, but have been known to live longer in captivity with proper care.
- Bald eagles depend heavily on habitat protection as well as sustainable fishing that ensures there is enough food available for them to thrive in their natural environment
Threats to Bald Eagles
Human Activity: Urbanization and development of waterfront areas degrade the natural prey base for bald eagles, result in habitat loss, and cause disruption to their nesting sites. Environmental pollution can also impair their ability to hunt, fly or have healthy offspring.
Lead Poisoning: Eagles are known to feed on scavenged carcasses of animals which have been shot with lead bullets and left in the environment, resulting in lead poisoning. Lead poisoning is a major threat facing the species and one that is easily addressed by using alternative forms of ammunition while hunting.
Power Lines: Powerful talons and strong wings enable them to survive severe weather conditions but they become highly vulnerable when they unintentionally run into power lines or buildings (particularly during migration). Many bald eagles lose their lives every year due to electrocution accidents when flying into power lines.
Drought: Drought has had an impact on bodies of water that provide essential bald eagle habitat leading them to abandon nest sites and move away from affected areas looking for more suitable habitat which leads to increased mortality rates among adult birds due the additional stress caused by relocation process itself as well as increased competition for food sources in new locations if these are not adequately abundant .
Pesticides: Certain groups of chemical pesticides can cause detrimental effects on bald eagle populations such as directly poison them or indirectly through bioaccumulation in their food source (fish). These contaminants can cause immune system suppression, reproductive disorders and abnormal behavior among individuals leading them to starve or drown or face increased risk of predation by other animals
