bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

 

IDENTIFICATION:

• Length: 32 inches Wingspan: 80 inches

• Sexes similar

• Very large, broad-winged, broad-tailed hawk

• Rounded wings

• Thick, hooked bill

• Plucks fish from water with talons

Adult:

• White head and upper neck

• White tail

• Dark brown body plumage

• Yellow bill

Immature:

• Dark bill and dark cere

• Dark brown body plumage, including head and tail

• Variable amounts of white on underwing coverts, belly, and back

• White head and tail, and dark underwings are gradually acquired in               four years

Similar species:

Turkey vulture has a tiny, unfeathered head, holds its wings in a
dihedral, and has contrastingly paler flight feathers. Golden eagle
can be quite similar to immature Balds, or to adults at a distance
but is all dark as an adult and as an immature has white restricted
to the bases of the flight feathers and the bases of the tail feathers.
The white is confined to crisp patches on the wing and tail, and is not
blotchily scattered about underwings coverts as in immature bald
eagles. Immature golden eagles have yellow ceres while immature
balds have dark ceres.

 

LIFE HISTORY

Migration Status: Short distance migrant
Breeding Habitat: Wetland-open water
Nest Location: N/A
Nest Type: N/A
Clutch Size: 2
Length of Incubation: 34-36 days
Days to Fledge: 70-98
Number of Broods: 1
Diet: Primarily fish; lesser quantities of small mammals and birds

 

SKY MEADOWS DISTRIBUTION/SEASONAL OCCURRENCE

 

Relative abundance and seasonal occurrence are indicated in red below.

 

Relative abundance
     C - Common: Likely to be present in good numbers in appropriate habitat and season.
     U - Uncommon: May be present in appropriate habitat and season, often in low
            numbers.
     O - Occassional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times per season,
            sometimes low numbers.
     R - Rare: May not be recorded every year.
     Acc - Accidental: Recorded once or twice, may not be expected again for a long time.

 

Seasonal Occurrence
      Sp - Spring: March, April, May U
      Su - Summer: June, July, August R
      Fall: September, October, November C

      Winter: December, January, February U

 

 

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