Photos

Picture was taken in the sanctuary near Anchorage. All rescued animals are kept in a free environment (rather humans are protected :-)). This eagle is keps in a cage and I used my telescopic lens to get closer. Its wing span is about 8 feet.
saturated and sharpened.


facts taken from "http://www.worldkids.net/eac/eagle.html"

Fast Facts
Common Name: bald eagle
Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus species: Haliaeetus (sea eagle) leucocephalus (white head)
Size: 1 m (3 ft.) in height; 2.3 m (7 ft.) wing span
Weight: males 3.5 to 4 kg (8-9 lb.), females 4.5 to 6 kg (10-14 lb.)
Description: Adults at 4 to 5 yrs. are identified by their white head and tail, solid brown body, and large, curved, yellow bill. Juveniles have blotchy patches of white on their underside and tail.
Life span: up to 30 years in the wild, longer in captivity
Sexual maturity: 4 to 5 years of age
Incubation: 31 to 45 days
Habitat: live and nest near coastlines, rivers, lakes, wet prairies, and coastal pine lands in North America from Alaska and Canada south into Florida and Baja, California.
Diet: prefer fish swimming close to the water's surface, small mammals, waterfowl, wading birds, dead animal matter (carrion).
Status: listed by USFWS as threatened in all but three of the lower 48 states and protected by CITES; populations are healthy in Alaska

Fun Facts
1. The bald eagle is not really bald; it actually has white feathers on its head, neck, and tail. Bald is a derivation of balde, an Old English word meaning white. The eagle was named for its white feathers instead for a lack of feathers.
2. Bald eagles may use the same nest year after year, adding more twigs and branches each time. One nest was found that had been used for 34 years and weighed over two tons!
3. The bald eagle can fly 20 to 40 mph in normal flight and can dive at speeds over 100 mph.
4. Bald eagles can actually swim! They use an overhand movement of the wings that is very much like the butterfly stroke.
5. More than 80% of the bald eagle population in the southeastern United States is concentrated within the state of Florida.