Bald eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus · The bald eagle is a bird of prey whose range covers most of North America, including most of Canada, the continental United States and northern Mexico.

Also called American Bald Eagle, American Eagle.

Bald eagle
Photo: Andy Morffew, CC BY 2.0
Bald eagle
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bald eagle
Photo: Saffron Blaze, CC BY-SA 3.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderAccipitriformes
FamilyAccipitridae
GenusHaliaeetus
SpeciesHaliaeetus leucocephalus

Where it lives

Lakes, rivers and coasts from Alaska and Canada to northern Mexico.

Fun facts

  • Bald eagles aren't actually bald: the name comes from an older meaning of the word, "white-headed".
  • Bald eagles add to their nest every year, and it can grow to 4 m deep, 2.5 m across and weigh 1 metric ton, the biggest nest of any bird in North America.
  • A baby bald eagle can gain up to 170 g in a single day, the fastest growth rate of any North American bird.
  • A bald eagle's grip is estimated to be ten times stronger than a human's.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).