The
Bald Eagle is the national bird of the United States. They live throughout
North America, from Alaska to Florida. The Bald Eagle isn't really bald. He
just has a hood of white feathers on his head as you can see in the pictures.
He also has a beautiful white tail and a bright yellow beak. When a baby Bald
Eagle hatches from an egg, he doesn't have a white hood or tail. He will not
have them until he is an adult, about four years old. The Bald Eagle is a
bird of prey, which means he is a hunter. He is also an erne, or sea
eagle, which means that he likes to live near bodies of water where it is
easy to catch fish. The Bald Eagle has big talons, or claws, that he
uses to grab fish near the surface of the water. A Bald Eagle will look down
on the lake or river he is hunting in and wait until he spots a fish. Then
he will swiftly swoop down to the water to grab the fish with his sharp, strong
talons. Although the Bald Eagle is a bird of prey, he isn't always able to
catch enough fish to keep him strong so he sometimes steals fish from other
birds or eats fish that have already died.
The
Bald Eagle steals fish from other birds, such as Ospreys, by swooping and
pecking at the other bird in the air as it is carrying a fish. The Eagle will
keep bothering the other bird until he lets go of his fish. Then the Eagle
grabs the fish and keeps it for himself!
Click here to hear the sounds an Eagle makes. It may take a few seconds to download.
Here are some cool facts about Bald Eagles:
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