Bald Eagles
Ranked #5,736 in Pets & Animals, #142,790 overall
Flying predators of the North American islands, forests, and rivers
When I was a kid growing up in the mountains of western Montana (near Flathead Lake and Glacier Park), we lived near the forested banks of the Swan River.. and my folks would occasionally point out eagles that would fly over the lake and river and swoop down to snatch a fish that was too close to the surface.
When we moved to New Mexico, we would sometimes see bald eagles when we camped in the mountain areas--particularly around New Mexico's many lakes. And, when we moved to California, we lived in a town that had a close-by lake at which a "nesting pair" of eagles resided.
So I have had a lot of experience with being around where these amazing birds live...
Recently, we had a trip to Alaska that included the ports-of-call of Juneau, Ketchikan, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and Seattle. And we saw not only the evidence of the bald eagles, we had chances to see them, as well. This Squidoo lens will provide some information and photos (of course) about this interesting creature.
Bald eagle perched on a tree near its nest, Ketchikan, Alaska
Decorative Bald Eagles!
American Bald Eagle Long Sleeve T-Shirt
The intent gaze of the american bald eagle draws in your attention. His gaze is almost demanding. The other eagles are most likely close by, but our world is filled with the majestic view of this on
"I AM Smiling!" Bald Eagle Large Mug
This bald eagle has an attitude, and is just perfect when you're having one of those "I AM Smiling!" kind of days!
Back from near extinction, the bald eagles are truly here to stay!
In the late 1950s and the 1960s, bald eagles (and a bunch of other birds) were considered to be on the brink of extinction. The widespread use of pesticides, mostly DDT, caused avian eggshells to become so brittle that they'd break under the nesting birds' weight. After the pesticide was discovered to be causing the problem (among other things, such as birth defects in mammals, reptiles, and amphibians) and the chemical was banned for use in the United States (and other countries affiliated with the U.S. scientific community), the bald eagles started a gradual comeback.SInce then, bald eagles have made a full comeback and have now been taken off the endangered or even threatened species list. There are some places in Alaska and Canada where the eagles are the most common bird in the area. One of my friends lives in Sitka, Alaska, and he has sent me photos of the shoreline of his "backyard" carpeted in bald eagles all waiting for the salmon to come through. I also have friends who have sent me photos of eagles in and around the dumps of some of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. They are definitely prolific and hardy birds.
Bald eagle flying with some seagulls over a river in which salmon are spawning, Ketchikan, Alaska
As for Bald Eagles, Did You Know.... ?
It's interesting that bald eagles mate for life -- they form an "eagle pair" and equally care for their eggs and chicks until the young eagles can leave the nest and fend for themselves. If one of the mates dies, the remaining eagle never mates with another.Eagles are some of the largest predators in the air. There are very few predators of eagles. A strange thing our guide in Ketchikan told us was that one of the main causes of death for eagles was "drowning" ... after some quizzical looks from our group, the guide explained that when a bald eagle's talons lock on to a fish that they have snagged, the eagle cannot unlock it until it has eaten away enough of the fish to release its talons. Unfortunately, sometimes an eagle will underestimate the size of its prey and will latch onto a huge salmon--and the salmon will dive and drag the eagle down with it. Sometimes the eagle with "swim" with its wings to dry land where it can clamber ashore and then rip at the fish to release its talons. Sometimes, this doesn't work.
Eagles can have wingspans of up to 8-9 feet (3 meters). Those in Alaska and the Canadian Northwest where an ample supply of prey is available -- particularly salmon -- are larger than those in the contiguous United States.
Read up on bald eagles... Lots of good information here!
The Bald Eagle: Haunts and Habits of a Wilderness Monarch by Jon M. Gerrard, Gary R. Bortolotti
The Bald Eagle is a comprehensive description of the more...0 points
The Illustrated Bald Eagle (The Denny Rogers Visual Reference series) by Denny Rogers
Written with the artist or sculptor in mind, this more...0 points
Just Eagles: A Wildlife Watcher's Guide by Alan E. Hutchinson
From early Native Americans to schoolchildren toda more...0 points
The Bald Eagle (Welcome Books: American Symbols) by Lloyd G. Douglas
Emergent readers will discover the history and her more...0 points
The Bald Eagle (American Symbols) by Pearl, Norman
This strong and beautiful bird is a symbol for an more...0 points
An Eagle Named Freedom: My True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Jeff Guidry
From the moment Jeff Guidry saw the baby eagle with more...0 points
Bald Eagle by Gordon Morrison
In this informative portrait, acclaimed nature art more...0 points
Majestic Eagles: Compelling Facts and Images of the Bald Eagle by Stan Tekiela
Take a closer look at the most powerful birds of t more...0 points
The Bald Eagle (Pull Ahead Books) by Judith Jango-Cohen
FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Describes t more...0 points
The Bald Eagle (True Books: American History) by Elaine Landau
Ideal for today's young investigative reader, each more...0 points
The Bald Eagle Returns by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
The inspiring story of the bald eagle's resurgence more...0 points
The Bald Eagle (First Facts: American Symbols) by Debbie L. Yanuck
Revive an interest in the patriotic symbols of our more...0 points
Soaring with the Wind: The Bald Eagle by Gail Gibbons
A majestic bird swoops down, snatches its prey, then more...0 points
Bald Eagles in Alaska
A collection of papers and articles from internati more...0 points
The American Eagle in Art and Design (Dover Pictorial Archives)
Largest collection illustrating the use and development more...0 points
Bald Eagles: Their Life and Behavior in North America by Art Wolfe
Bald EaglesTheir life and behavior in North America more...0 points
Three River Junction: A Story of an Alaskan Bald Eagle Preserve - a Wild Habitats Book (Nature Conservancy) by Susanne Burnham, Saranne D Burnham
After arriving at an Alaskan preserve, a hungry ba more...0 points
The American Eagle (Earthsong Collection) by Tom Leeson, Pat Leeson
Divided into several major sections, this matchles more...0 points
The Eagle has landed. This bald eagle has landed in Herron's Cove River, Ketchikan, Alaska.
Bald Eagles in Motion .... These moving videos will get your clamboring for more!
Nature:American Eagle
Photographed in magnificent High-definition by thr more...0 points
Home Free: Return of the Bald Eagle
Hard pesticides such as DDT had threatened the extinction more...0 points
America's Endangered Species: Don't Say Goodbye
Can a picture save a species? Photographers Susan more...0 points
Hornby Island Bald Eagles 2005
2 bald eagles on Hornby Island, Canada caught on v more...0 points
Bald eagle with a river-side view of the salmon spawning. Herring Cove, Ketchikan, Alaska.
Bald Eagles by the Bay.... eBay, That Is!
Bald eagle pair on a tree stump surrounded by other birds at Herron Cove, Ketchikan, Alaska.
Parting Shots of Bald Eagles
Getting shots of bald eagles is not easy -- especially if you do not have the patience and time to set up a camouflaged blind, and if you do not have a professional single-lens reflex camera with high-speed film or high speed, high resolution digital sensors, and you are in the right place at the right time.
Most pictures of eagles are through a moment of opportunity--when you see one of the "golf-balls in the trees" (a sign of eagles--their heads show up as white balls) or when one swoops over on the way to get a fish. If you have less than a professional camera and with less than optimum resolution or film speed, then getting a good shot will be a slim chance.
The photos that may show up here are shots typical of the experience you'll get when you are traveling in eagle country. You'll see other wildlife as well... and sometimes with better resolution than the eagles. But when you do get a picture of an eagle, it's well worth it.
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Don't fly out of here without leaving a comment!
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TheVegetarian
Oct 13, 2011 @ 5:01 pm | delete
- thanks for sharing your photos - we don't have bald eagles in the UK so it is nice to read about them
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Bald eagle for home or office?
Safari LTD Incredible Creatures Bald Eagle
Amazon Price: $8.59 (as of 05/27/2012)
It's guaranteed this one won't dump a load on your table or desk or bookcase! And it won't be snatching goldfish (or other fish) out of your backyard pond or aquarium!
If you are going to have an eagle on your hand, this is the way to go!
Folkmanis Puppet Bald Eagle
Amazon Price: $20.33 (as of 05/27/2012)
With this method, you won't have to bandage talon marks on your hands and arms. Obviously, this makes it more safe for kids, too!
You want to be an "eagle eye"? Well, you can at least have an "eagle face"!
![Bald Eagle Mask (Foam) [Toy] [Toy]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31duj61woQL._SL160_.jpg)
Bald Eagle Mask (Foam) [Toy] [Toy]
Amazon Price: $2.60 (as of 05/27/2012)
With Halloween coming around, having an eagle mask might be the way to go. Combine it with some law books and you could be a "legal eagle"... or something like that!
