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At four to five years of age bald eagles get their
distinctive white head and tail feathers.
The word “bald” in bald eagle comes from the old English word
“balde” meaning white.
While the average lifespan of the bald eagle is about 20 years,
the bald eagle can live up to 30 years in the wild and sometimes
even longer in captivity.
The bald eagle has excellent eyesight, four times that of a human
being with perfect vision. They can also see both forward and
side to side at the same time.
Bald eagles mate for life and will remain together until one dies.
Bald eagles will normally build a nest approximately 5 feet in
diameter. The eagles will often use the same nest over and over,
adding to it each year. The lofty nest is also referred to as
an aerie. The bald eagle will lay 3 to 5 eggs. 50% of eaglets
survive their first year.
The bald eagle has 7000 feathers. The feathers of the bald eagle
are extremely strong, yet very lightweight.
The eagle’s talons are the knife-like claws on the bald eagle’s
feet.
The bald eagle has an average Wingspan of approximately 7 ft;
ranging from 72 to 90 inches.
The average height of the bald eagle is approximately 3 ft; ranging
from 30 to 37 inches.
The average weight of the bald eagle is 9-14 lbs.
At one time the bald eagle was threatened to extinction and was
listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The population
of bald eagles in the United States had declined for a number
of reasons. Among these were the use of pesticides on crops, the
interference and destruction of the bald eagle’s habitat, contamination
of the waterways and the eagle’s food source, and even intentional
shootings of bald eagles. DDT was outlawed in the United States
because it caused the thinning of the shells of the eagle’s eggs
which resulted in them breaking during the incubation process.
The success of the return of the bald eagle population under the
Endangered Species Act is an incentive for increased awareness
and protection of other endangered species in our world.
In 1782 the bald eagle was proclaimed the National Emblem and
proud symbol of the United States. The bald eagle, portrayed in
sculpture and paintings, is appreciated for both its beauty and
power, as well as it’s identity as America’s National Symbol.
The leading sculptor of the bald eagle is Mike
Curtis, the wildlife sculptor best known for capturing the
essence of the eagle. He has been studying these majestic birds
in the wild and sculpting the bald eagle for over 35 years. Mike
Curtis Limited Edition Bronze Eagle Sculptures may be viewed and
enjoyed by visiting this website
further.
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