Identification
28-38in body (like the size of a skinny toddler)
6.5-13 lbs
80in wingspan
Adults: white head and a white tail with a dark brown body
Adolescents: Dark heads and tails, body muddled with white. Takes about 5 years to attain adult plumage
Habitat
Found near water, especially lakes and rivers.
Mostly over US and Canada. Wider spread in the winter as they migrate south a little
nest in forested areas, high in tree, near the trunk, but not at the crown like ospreys
nests are 5-6ft diameter and 2-4 ft tall and are called aeries
Female does most of the construction, can take 3 months to build
Offspring
Clutch size is 1-3 eggs with 1 brood a year
Behavior
Soars high in air, slow wing beats when lower, perches in the Tall old growth trees or on ground. Holds wings flat during soaring, not bent like vultures and some hawks
Diet
Scavenge many meals by taking from other birds, finding carrion or garbage.
mainly eat fish, but will hunt mammals or anything else it can get including waterfowl like gulls.
Will sometimes gorge on food to let digest over several days
Can survive fasting for days or even weeks
Fun Facts
Oldest recorded bird was 38 yrs old
Largest nest was 9.5 ft wide, 20 ft tall in St. Petersburg, Fl.
Vermillion, OH had a large nest used for 34 yrs
When they drop/dive, they can reach 100mph, regular flight is around 30mph
During the 70s they were endangered due to hunting and pollution
They have two centers of focus so they can see forwards and to the side simultaneously
They can see ultraviolet light
Hollywood dubs over eagles sounds with that of the smaller red tailed hawk.