Every birder, I would wager, remembers exactly where and when they saw their first Bald Eagle in the wild.
This stunning raptor (who is not actually “bald”) is on the I’d-love-to-see-one list of both casual and dedicated bird lovers everywhere. It made the top of this birder’s list decades ago when the “Weekly Reader” had a gorgeous eagle photo on the front with a then unpronounceable word splashed on top: dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane…DDT. Ultimately, that story had a happy ending (see Conservation Note below).
For the first four to five years of a young Bald Eagle’s life they gradually add white feathers to their head. Also, during this time they rack up frequent flyer miles, traveling like a nomad, exploring hundreds of miles from their birthplace.
When looking for food they are opportunistic. Sometimes they hunt (fish is the favorite item on the menu), scavenge carrion on the ground and even steal food right out of the clutches of other birds.
It took 25 years to add this amazing avian to my life list. And, I’m happy to report that they continue to thrive around Chilhowee Lake in the Cherokee National Forest and across the Blue Ridge.
Fun Facts
This species mates for life and nests are reused year after year. One nest in Ohio was used for 34 years. It was adjusted and added to over that time and ultimately weighed over two metric tons! Another nest in Florida reached a whopping 6,000 pounds.
Eagles have been seen playing with makeshift toys like pieces of litter and passing sticks back and forth to each other in some secret bird game.
How to Identify a Bald Eagle
This raptor can reach three feet tall with a 6.5 feet wingspan with the female Bald Eagles growing larger than males. The head and tail are white (at about five years of age) and they have a yellow hooked beak and feet (with black talons). Around waterways, the Osprey is often misidentified as a Bald Eagle.
Bald Eagle Habitat
Open water with tall trees for spotting prey and roosting is the favored environment
Conservation Note
The Bald Eagle is perhaps one of the country’s best conservation success stories. Nearing extinction (417 known nesting pairs) in the mid-20th Century from hunting and the deleterious effects of DDT, eagles have rebounded to an estimated 71,467 breeding pairs. While no longer listed as endangered or threatened, the birds, eggs and nests continue to be legally protected.
ABOUT THIS SERIES:
“Birds of the Blue Ridge” showcases frequently seen and rare birds across the southern Appalachian region. For over four decades, Angela Minor has traveled with binoculars and field guides across the continental U.S., Alaska, the Caribbean and seven European countries. She is a contributing editor with BRC magazine and a freelance writer, penning travel and nature feature articles for several regional and national print publications. Angela created and authored the state park birding series for Bird Watcher’s Digest.
Read More by Angela Minor: BlueRidgeCountry.com/AngelaMinor
