Bald
Eagles
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Description
- The Bald Eagel is a large eagle that is a blackish
colour with a white head and tail and a heavy yellow bill.
The call is a squeaky cackling with thin squeals.
Distribution - The bald eagle breeds from Alaska east
across Canada and south to California. Winters are spent
along coasts and large rivers in much of the United States.
Bald eagles inhabit the lakes, rivers, marshes and seacoasts
in British Columbia.
Biology - The nest of bald eagles is made of sticks
in a tall tree or on top of a cliff; here 2 or 3 white
eggs are laid. This bird is primarily a fish eater but
also eats carrion and crippled waterfowl. This beachcombing
habit has contributed to its downfall, as it accumulated
pesticides from contaminated fish and wildlife. Hunting,
poaching, and the encroachment of civilizations have also
reduced the population of bald eagles greatly although
an intense recovery plan appears to be increasing its
numbers.
