Eagles primarily eat fish, carrion, smaller birds and rodents. Eagles are also known to prey on large birds and large fish.
Bald eagle numbers in the U.S. were estimated to be between 300,000-500,000 in the 1700s. Numbers were once as low as 500 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states. Bald eagle numbers have rebounded since and now the lower 48 states boast over 5,000 nesting pairs. There are a total of about 70,000 bald eagles in the whole of North America (Including Alaska and Canada).
Bald eagles live near bodies of water in Canada and Alaska, and in scattered locations all throughout the lower 48 states and Mexico.
The bald eagle is not picky about how it gets its food. It will eat carrion, steal fish from other birds or hunt for its own. Their most important non-carrion food is fish, which they catch by swooping down and grabbing fish that are near the surface of the lake or stream.
Bald eagles make a high-pitched squeaking sound. Other interesting behaviors include “talon clasping” or “cartwheel display”, where two eagles clasp each other’s talons in mid air and spin down, letting go only when they’ve almost reached the ground. This is may be a courtship ritual as well as a territorial battle.
During breeding season, the male and female work together to build a nest of sticks, usually located at the top of a tree. The nests can weigh up to a ton and measure up to 8 feet across. Once paired, bald eagles remain with each other until one mate dies, then the surviving bird will find another mate.
Reproduction
Mating season: Anywhere from late September to early April, depending on the region.
Gestation: The female lays her first egg 5-10 days after mating. The eggs are incubated for about 35 days.
Clutch size: 1-3 eggs.
Immature bald eagles don’t develop their distinctive white head and tail until they are between 4 and 5 years old.
Both parents take turns sitting on the eggs, but the female spends most of her time in the nest. When three are laid, however, it is very rare that all the young will survive. While one parent sits on the eggs, the other will hunt and collect materials for nest upkeep. When the young hatch, their eyes are open and they are covered in light grey down.
Threats
Bald eagles were very negatively affected by DDT, a pesticide that was not banned in the US until 1972 though its dangers were known in the early 1960s. It wasn’t lethal to the bald eagles themselves, but the DDT they ingested weakened the shells of their eggs to the point where the eggs cracked under the weight of an adult eagle.
Thanks to the banning of DDT in 1972 and the passage of the landmark Endangered Species Act in 1973, this colossal bird of prey recovered at a faster pace than conservationists had ever expected. Today, illegal shooting of bald eagles is considered the biggest threat to their survival. Other threats include lead poisoning from eating ducks that have consumed lead shot, power line electrocution and habitat loss.
Now that the bald eagle is no longer on the Endangered Species list, we must ensure it is adequately protected against reckless development and other threats that can disturb eagles and affect their survival. Defenders is currently analyzing the Fish and Wildlife Services management guidelines, the permit proposal and post-delisting monitoring plan to determine if they will adequately protect bald eagles.
The bald eagle has made a tremendous recovery over the past several decades thanks largely to the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In June of 2007, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced the removal of the bald eagle from the list of species protected by the Endangered Species Act. The Fish and Wildlife Service will monitor bald eagles for a 5-year period as required by the Endangered Species Act. The announcement marked a successful milestone in the species’ recovery from the brink of extinction.
Since their removal from the Endangered Species Act, bald eagles are primarily protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and its implementing regulations prohibit the take of bald eagles, which includes activities that are likely to interfere with eagles’ breeding, feeding or sheltering behavior, or result in injury, death, or nest abandonment.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act further protects bald eagles and their eggs, nests and feathers by prohibiting killing, taking, or possession of eagles without a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In some states, bald eagles are also protected by state endangered species laws.
Source:http://www.defenders.org/wildlife_and_habitat/wildlife/bald_eagle.php
