"There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before. "
Robert Lynd (1879 - 1949), The Blue Lion
Robert Lynd (1879 - 1949), The Blue Lion
The Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle, what a beautiful spirit! They soar through the sky so gracefully and magically. They are the symbol of courage, strength, honor, bravery, friendship.
Bald Eagles are protected by the Migratory Treaty Act and The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. In June of 2007, the Bald Eagle was taken off the Endangered Species List.
The adult male and female bald eagle have a blackish brown breast and back, with a white head, neck and tail, a yellow beak and feet. Females average 35-37 inches with wingspans of 79-90 inches. The females are larger than the males. The males average 30-34 inches with a wingspan from 72-85 inches.
The average lifespan of a bald eagle is 15-20 years. They can live longer than 30 years. Their body temperature is about 106f, 41c. Eagles do not sweat; they perch , pant and hold their wings away from their bodies to cool themselves. Bald Eagles have 7000 feathers to protect them from cold, rain and heat. Their feet are cold resistance because they are made of mostly tendon. Their beaks have little blood supply mostly made of non-living material.
Eagles are known for their excellent eyesight. They can spot prey up to 3 miles. They are capable of spotting fish from several hundred feet above. They can see both forward and to the side at the same time.
Eagles use thermals to soar which are updrafts and currents of warm air generated from terrain like mountain slopes. Eagles can soar 30-35 mph and reach altitudes of 10,000 feet.
Eagles build their nests in large trees high up near water or coast lines. If there are no trees, they will build them on the ground and cliffs.The nests can weigh up to 2 tons! The average is around 5 feet in diameter and some nests up 9 feet in diameter. Eagles are very territorial during nesting season and have a territory up to 2 miles. No other Eagles or predators are allowed in their area and they will protect their territory during nesting.
The female will lay 1-3 eggs approximately 5-10 days after copulation. It takes 3-6 days to lay the eggs as they are not all layed in one day. It takes 35 days of incubation and it is shared by both female and male, taking turns, but the female mostly stays on the nest. One parent is always with the nest to protect the eggs. During the first 2 weeks the male provides the food and brings it on an average of 4 times per day up to 8 times per day. After the second week the female starts to hunt, and after about 3-4 weeks the female will bring as much food as the male. By late nesting, the female provides most of the food.
From the time a chick hatches till they fledge the nest for good is around 20 weeks. The chicks will start to flap their wings and branch. To encourage the chicks to fledge, the parent will fly over and around the nest with food in their talons. When the chicks first fledge, one of the parents will go along with them to keep them protected and fed. A chick could be gone for days before returning to the nest again.
Eagles will get their white heads and tales when they reach 4-5 years old.
Watching the Eagles on the Eagle cams is one of the most exciting, beautiful and stressful at times experiences you would want to see. Watching how they survive, care and raise their chicks together makes you happy inside, makes you cry, but most of all it gives you a true sense of what total commitment is about. You feel the strength, courage and bravery they represent and it fills your heart with love, respect and honor.
Helpful Links
http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
http://www.hawkmountain.org/
http://www.hancockwildlifechannel.org/
http://www.fs.fed.us/outdoors/naturewatch/eaglecam.html
http://www.friendsofblackwater.org/camhtm2.html
http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/wildwatch/eaglecam/index.html
Bald Eagles are protected by the Migratory Treaty Act and The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. In June of 2007, the Bald Eagle was taken off the Endangered Species List.
The adult male and female bald eagle have a blackish brown breast and back, with a white head, neck and tail, a yellow beak and feet. Females average 35-37 inches with wingspans of 79-90 inches. The females are larger than the males. The males average 30-34 inches with a wingspan from 72-85 inches.
The average lifespan of a bald eagle is 15-20 years. They can live longer than 30 years. Their body temperature is about 106f, 41c. Eagles do not sweat; they perch , pant and hold their wings away from their bodies to cool themselves. Bald Eagles have 7000 feathers to protect them from cold, rain and heat. Their feet are cold resistance because they are made of mostly tendon. Their beaks have little blood supply mostly made of non-living material.
Eagles are known for their excellent eyesight. They can spot prey up to 3 miles. They are capable of spotting fish from several hundred feet above. They can see both forward and to the side at the same time.
Eagles use thermals to soar which are updrafts and currents of warm air generated from terrain like mountain slopes. Eagles can soar 30-35 mph and reach altitudes of 10,000 feet.
Eagles build their nests in large trees high up near water or coast lines. If there are no trees, they will build them on the ground and cliffs.The nests can weigh up to 2 tons! The average is around 5 feet in diameter and some nests up 9 feet in diameter. Eagles are very territorial during nesting season and have a territory up to 2 miles. No other Eagles or predators are allowed in their area and they will protect their territory during nesting.
The female will lay 1-3 eggs approximately 5-10 days after copulation. It takes 3-6 days to lay the eggs as they are not all layed in one day. It takes 35 days of incubation and it is shared by both female and male, taking turns, but the female mostly stays on the nest. One parent is always with the nest to protect the eggs. During the first 2 weeks the male provides the food and brings it on an average of 4 times per day up to 8 times per day. After the second week the female starts to hunt, and after about 3-4 weeks the female will bring as much food as the male. By late nesting, the female provides most of the food.
From the time a chick hatches till they fledge the nest for good is around 20 weeks. The chicks will start to flap their wings and branch. To encourage the chicks to fledge, the parent will fly over and around the nest with food in their talons. When the chicks first fledge, one of the parents will go along with them to keep them protected and fed. A chick could be gone for days before returning to the nest again.
Eagles will get their white heads and tales when they reach 4-5 years old.
Watching the Eagles on the Eagle cams is one of the most exciting, beautiful and stressful at times experiences you would want to see. Watching how they survive, care and raise their chicks together makes you happy inside, makes you cry, but most of all it gives you a true sense of what total commitment is about. You feel the strength, courage and bravery they represent and it fills your heart with love, respect and honor.
Helpful Links
http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
http://www.hawkmountain.org/
http://www.hancockwildlifechannel.org/
http://www.fs.fed.us/outdoors/naturewatch/eaglecam.html
http://www.friendsofblackwater.org/camhtm2.html
http://www.wdfw.wa.gov/wildwatch/eaglecam/index.html