Friday 21 March 2014

Bald Eagle / Haliaeetus leucocephalus

The Bald Eagle 
Photo: A handsome bald eagle


The bald eagle, with its snowy-feathered (not  actually bald) head and white tail, is the proud national bird symbol of the United States — yet the bird funnily was nearly wiped out there. 
For many decades, bald eagles were hunted for sport and for the "protection" of fishing grounds!
In the 1970's they were luckily saved from extinction. 

Though their numbers have grown in much of their range, bald eagles remain most abundant in Alaska and Canada. These powerful birds of prey use their talons to fish, but they get many of their meals by scavenging carrion or stealing the kills of other animals, they are carnivores.

These birds live for around 30 years at least.      They are pretty giant :
Illustration: Bald eagle compared with adult man


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