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ABSTRACT
The bald eagle (Haliaeetus Leucocephalus) has faced major declines in population due to human influenced factors. ... In 1978 the bald eagle was placed on the endangered species list. Due to the enforcement of laws and breeding in captivity, the bald eagle population has been removed from the endangered species list and placed on the threatened list.
Key Words: Bald eagle, Halieaeetus leucocephalus, DDT, habitat, Endangered Species Act.
INTRODUCTION
In 1766, Linnaeus first described the bald eagle (Haliaeetus Leucocephalus) as Falco leucocephalus. The raptor was later renamed the southern bald eagle known as Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus. More than a hundred years later an ornithologist by the name of Townsend identified Haliaeetus leucocephalus alascanus as the northern bald eagle (www. ... The Endangered Species Protection Act of 1966 listed the southern bald eagle as Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus, referring to birds south of the 40th parallel. The bald eagle was listed on the Endangered Species Protection Act on February 14, 1978 for the continental United States. ...
An estimated one-quarter to half a million bald eagles inhabited the North American continent when the first Europeans arrived. By the mid to late 1800’s, the first major decline in the bald eagle population coincided with declines in the number of major prey species, such as waterfowl and shorebirds. The bald eagle population continued to decline to an astonishing low of 417 bald eagle pairs counted in the continental United States in 1963. Under the protection of the Endangered Species Protection Act the bald eagle population began to grow to a point where on July 12, 1995, the U. ... Fish and Wildlife Service announced the reclassification of the bald eagle from endangered to threatened (www. ...
GENERAL INFORMATION
The bald eagle belongs to the class Aves, the order Falconiformes, the family Accipitridae and its scientific name is Haliaeetus leucocephalus, which when translated means “white headed sea eagle” (www. ... Juvenile bald eagles are often confused with golden eagles because the eyes and beak remain dark and the distinctive white head and tail does not appear until four to six years of age (Beans 1996). ... The lifespan of a bald eagle is thought to be 30 years in the wild and is increased when raised in captivity (www. ...
Bald eagles generally eat fish as a main source of nutrition. Depending on the environment, bald eagles have been known to eat ducks, rodents, snakes, carrion, chicken, lambs, and various types of domestic livestock (www. ... Bald eagles have also been known to eat dead fish or take fish from other birds like the Osprey (Univ. ... A normal bald eagle will tear off discrete portions of its prey and feed it to their nestling or consume it themselves (Steidl & Anthony 2000). Bald eagles have exceptional vision, which enhances their chances of catching prey. ... When diving, bald eagles have been known to reach speeds of approximately 100 miles per hour (www. ...
REPRODUCTION
Bald eagles have a distinct reproductive sequence. ... The bald eagles will role under one another exchanging places during their flight. ... A pair of bald eagles will fly to a high altitude where they will lock their talons and begin a freefall. ...
Sexual activity between bald eagles was once thought to occur during the cartwheel display as the birds plummeted to the ground. Now it is believed that bald eagles engage in sexual activity as other raptors do.
Approximate Word count = 2724
Approximate Pages = 10.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
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