Species Spotlight: Bald Eagle; Undisputed Ruler of the Air In These Parts

Many of us have been near Bald Eagles in captivity. That can be breathtaking under the right circumstances. Few things have compared to encountering wild Bald Eagles in close proximity in my life except maybe a wild bear encounter. You immediately come to understand that they are well equipped to do extraordinary amounts of damage with the tools that nature gave them. Talons that normally rang in size from 1.5 to 2 inches but can reach 3 inches gleam in the sun. A huge, curved beak that narrows to a spear point is clearly a specialized tool for tearing flesh. Standing on a branch near you, you also realize that this is a very large bird. Most stand from 2.5 to 3 feet tall with some slightly larger. Females are slightly larger than males. They eat anything they want to. Over and above the predatory prowess, the Bald Eagle is beautiful and awe inspiring.

Bald Eagles mate for life. I’ve watched two pairs in particular over the last two years with great interest. One pair at what is left of Lake Jackson in Leon County, Florida and the other in the SMNWR. They hunt cooperatively. Their diet is as varied as their interests that day and opportunities. They eat rabbit, and other small mammals, birds, fish and carrion. When the great birds don’t feel like hunting, they steal food. I have watched hard working Ospreys finally take a good sized fish and then make a dash for the nest only to be set upon by the substantially larger and more powerful eagles. The Osprey already at a size disadvantage now also has it huge talons full of fish and can only dart and dance to avoid the onslaught. It almost always ends the same way; a dropped fish and a happy eagle. When the eagles cooperatively hunt American Coot (a defenseless water bird that flocks on the surface by the 100s) one will flush the birds which band together tightly and the other will dive and make the kill.

Bald Eagle wingspans are reported to be 6 to 7.5 feet. Having had them fly right over my head (that’s how some of these photos came to be) I can testify to that. HUGE. They have been documented to be able to live up to 38 years old in the wild and likely live longer. Immature Bald Eagles do not have the same coloring as mature eagles. They reach full maturity at five years and by then have the striking white head and tail. Before then, a mottled black and brown appearance with size being close to adults.

These magnificent creatures were once endangered and like so many other creatures, hunted without regard for the consequences. They are also very susceptible to pesticides in our ecosystem because of their diets. Fortunately, the population has rebounded now and they are doing well. I hope that if you are reading this you are willing and able to grab a pair of binoculars and go to where you might find these grand masters of the air. See if you can catch them playing with their children, hunting cooperatively, stealing fishing from a hardworking Osprey or simply basking in the sun. If you do, I doubt you’ll be disappointed. The Bald Eagle is our national bird for good reason. They inspire awe and respect. Go and find one.

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