The bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, is our national bird, and the only eagle unique to North America. The bald eagle's scientific name signifies a sea (halo) eagle (aeetos) with a white (leukos) head. The word "bald" signifies "white," not hairless.
Picture taken by our Guides at Mosquito Lagoon
Bald eagles are found throughout most of North America, from Alaska and Canada to northern Mexico. They are usually found near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply and old-growth trees for nesting. Bald eagles are opportunistic feeders with a preference for fish, which it swoops down and snatches from the water with its talons. Being extremely strong (but light; only 10-14 lbs) birds, they have an amazing lift power of about 4 lbs! They build the largest nest of any North American bird and the largest tree nests ever recorded for any animal species, up to 13 ft deep, 8 feet wide, and up to 1 ton in weight!
Picture taken by our Guides along the Econlockhatchee River
Bald eagles can fly to an altitude of 10,000 feet. During level flight, they can achieve speeds of about 30 to 35 mph!
Populations of bald eagles seriously declined during the first two-thirds of the 20th century. Shooting was one major cause; even after the eagles were given full legal protection, they continued to decline, most likely due to the effects of DDT and other persistent pesticides. Following the banning of DDT, numbers have been increasing gradually since the 1970s, with spectacular recoveries in some states.
Males and female bald eagles form life-long bonds, and reuse the same nest year after year, adding sticks and nest material as needed. They usually build their nests a tall tree overlooking or near the water.
The four hurricanes that struck Florida in the summer of 2004 damaged or destroyed at least half of the state's bald eagle nests. If a mated pair loose their nest, they may rebuild it if they have time, or skip a nesting season.
Florida is home to more than 1000 nesting pairs of bald eagles. This is an estimated 80 percent of the entire population found in the southeastern United States and the third largest breeding population in the country (just behind Alaska & Minnesota)!
Bald eagles are protected by both state and federal laws, making it illegal to disturb or take any eagle in Florida.
We regularly see bald eagles on our Econlockhatchee River and Mosquito Lagoon boat trips!
Denise Byrne
Marine Biologist/OW, Tech and Cave Instructor
denise@dayo.com
Orlando, Florida