Bald Eagles听
Handsome and regal, bald eagles听are one of the most recognizable birds in the world.听Over the centuries they have听become a symbol of courage and strength. These majestic birds can听often听be听spotted around Fanshawe Lake听but there are many things you may not know about them.听
In the听late听20th century, bald eagles were on the brink of extirpation听due to hunting, habitat听loss听and pesticide ingestion. Measures,听such as听banning听the use of听DDT听(a pesticide that weakened听their eggshells听causing them to听break听easily)听in the 1970s听and other recovery efforts,听slowed their听decline. Populations recovered and their status was downgraded from "endangered" to "threatened" in 1995 and听by 2007, they听were听removed听entirely听from the list.听They now听flourish and their recovery is widely considered one of the greatest conservation success stories听in North America.听
Bald eagles are not bald in the literal sense. The name is derived from听old English meaning听"white-headed",听rather than hairless. A mature adult is听mainly brown听with a white head,听neck听and听tail. Both听sexes have identical听plumage,听but females are about 25% larger.听Juvenile birds do not obtain the distinctive adult听feathers听until they are听four听or听five听years old.听听
Bald Eagles are powerful flyers.听With a听wingspan of 2.3 meters (7.5 feet), eagles听are听well adapted听to听soaring听on thermal convection currents听for听long periods. Although听a large raptor,听they are surprisingly maneuverable in flight.听
Bald eagles typically prefer to live near large bodies of water where they can readily access food. They are opportunistic feeders that subsists听mainly on听fish, snatching them from the water with their talons.听Despite their reputation as mighty hunters,听bald听eagles will often steal from others听rather than do their own fishing. They are known to harass a hunting osprey until it drops its prey, whereby the eagle swoops it up. Even people and other mammals can lose fish to the听bald听eagle. They also听eat ducks, rodents,听snakes听and听carrion.听
Their eyesight is their most developed sense. They can see fish听and spot prey the size of a rabbit over听a听mile away.听With their "eagle-eye" vision, they听can see听four听to听five听times farther than humans and have a field of vision听of听340 degrees.听听
Living 30 years or more in the wild, bald eagles mate for听life and听reinforce their bond through spectacular听flight听displays. They court each other by soaring to high altitudes, locking talons and spiraling towards the earth, parting just before hitting the ground.听Bald eagles听are听also听known to play with plastic bottles and other objects听and听have been听observed听passing sticks to each other in midair.听
The adult pair build their nest together,听often returning听to the same听location听year after year.听They construct their听massive听nest, or "eyries",听near water in tall trees or on cliffs.听New material is added to the nest each spring.听Since the nests are reused every year, they become听very large听鈥撎齯p to five meters (16 feet) deep and three meters (ten听feet)听across and听can weigh听more than听one听ton.听
The next time you hear听the epic cry of听a bald eagle on TV,听don't听be deceived.听These formidable raptors have a meek, high-pitched cry. The screaming vocalization often associated with bald eagle听in movies听is听the听red-tailed hawk.听Their piercing screech sounds more ominous and intimidating, making them the听preferred avian voice in Hollywood.听
Now that you know more, keep an eye out for听bald eagles听throughout the Upper Thames River watershed.听
Brenda Gallagher, Forestry and Vegetation Specialist