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Bald Eagles are about 29 to 42 inches long, can weigh 7 to 15
pounds, and have a wing span of 6 to 8 feet. This makes them
one of the largest birds in North America. Females are larger
than males. |
They can fly to altitudes of 10,000 feet or more, and can soar
for hours using natural wind currents and thermal updrafts.
Bald Eagles have been recorded at 44 miles per hour in level
flight. Bald Eagles can swim to shore with a heavy fish
using their strong wings as paddles. However, it is also
possible that they can drown if the fish weighs too much. |
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Diet:
Bald Eagles feed primarily on fish, but also eat small animals
such as ducks, coots, muskrats, turtles, rabbits, snakes, and
occasional dead animals. They swoop down to seize fish in
their powerful, long and sharp talons. They can carry their
food off in flight, but can only lift about half their weight.
Bald Eagles that reside in the northern U. S. and Canada
migrate to the warmer southern climates of the U. S. during
the winter to obtain easier access to food, especially fish.
Because of their migration, eagles can be seen in Georgia
during the winter months.
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Habitat
and Shelter:
Bald Eagles live near large bodies of open water such as
lakes, marshes, seacoasts and rivers, where there are plenty
of fish to eat and tall trees for nesting and roosting. Bald
Eagles live in every U. S. state except Hawaii. They build
large nests, called eyries, at the top of sturdy tall trees.
The nests become larger as the eagles return to breed and add
new nesting materials year after year. Bald Eagles make their
new nests an average of 2 feet deep and 5 feet across.
Eventually, some nests reach sizes of more than 10 feet wide
and can weigh several tons. When a nest is destroyed by
natural causes, it is often rebuilt nearby. Nests are lined
with twigs, soft mosses, grasses and feathers.
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Predators:
The
bald eagle's predators are chemicals like poison,
electrocution, fatal gun shots, and exposures. |
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