| The adults have blackish-brown back and breast; a white head, and tail; and yellow feet and bill. Juvenile bald eagles are a mixture of brown and white; with a black bill in young birds. The adult plumage develops when they're sexually mature at about 4-5 years of age. The bald eagle is the only eagle confined to North America, and there are no other large black birds in North America with white heads and tails. The female bald eagle is 35-37 inches, slightly larger than the male. With a wingspan which varies from 79 to 90 inches. Male bald eagle has a body length of 30 to 34 inches with a wing span of 72-85 inches. Bald eagles weigh from 10-14 pounds. Northern birds are significantly larger than their southern relatives. Life expectancy 15-30 years. Bald eagles sit at the top of the food chain, making them more vulnerable to toxic chemicals in the environment, since each link in the food chain tends to concentrate chemicals from the lower links. A bald eagles skin is protected by feathers lined with down. The feet are cold resistance because they are mostly tendon. Once paired, the bald eagles remain together until one dies, the survivor will accept a new mate. Wings are long and broad, making them effective for soaring. Eagles can be observed soaring the thermals for hours. The bald eagle have around 7,000 extremely strong yet highly flexible feathers. They will only migrate for food supply. They kill their prey with the talons, mostly smaller mammals or fish. |
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