Endangered Bald Eagles

Bald eagles are one of the largest flying birds seen across the United States of America. They are a large fierce-looking bird. The meaning of its name in Latin is "the sea eagle with a white head". It is the national symbol of the United States, and an image of it could be seen imprinted on money, seals, and other patriotic symbols.

About Bald Eagles

The bald eagles have a white head, black body, and a white tail. Their feet are dull orange, and beak is yellow. Their height varies from 30.4 inches to 36.4 inches. They have a wing-span of 5.5 feet to 8 feet.

The reproduction of bald eagles is affected by the climate they live in. Breeding generally happens between the months of April and August. On an average, they reproduce every year, and usually two eggs are laid. The eggs are laid several days apart so that it is not hard to feed the new-born.

They usually build their nests in tall live pine trees, which are higher than the things surrounding them. The nests are built from natural materials such as sticks, mud, and pieces of grass, and are located near water.

Sometimes the nests are larger than six feet in width, and can weigh up to one ton. They often use their nests year after year, and some of them can be used for more than ten years although they are unprotected from the weather.

The diet of endangered bald eagles consists of fish, small sea birds, mammals, and reptiles, mostly turtles. They are amazing predators, and often steal food from other raptors while in flight.

Four noticeable characteristics, called "special adaptations", make them exceptional at their job. They are:

• It has an eyesight four to eight times better than the human beings

• A bony overhang above their eyes protects the eyes from the Sun and potential injury. It helps while flying and searching for food, and provides shades to the eyes from glare while searching for fish in the waters

• The little bumps on the bottom of their feet, along with razor-sharp talons help them to hold fish while in flight

• The curved beak is advantageous in tearing the fish apart while eating.

Causes of endangerment of Bald Eagles

For many years, Bald eagles were on the verge of extinction due to excessive use of chemicals such as DDT. It infected them when they ate contaminated fish, and made them endangered animals.

Moreover, deforestation and encroachment of forest lands have caused habitat loss to the endangered bald eagles. They are also threatened by bounty hunting, which is a general practice in the United States.

Conservation of endangered Bald Eagles

In 1960, only 500 pairs of endangered bald eagles were alive. In 2010, about 10,000 pairs of bald eagles are reported to be alive in the wild. In 2007, Bald eagles were officially removed from the endangered species list. The use of DDT has been declared illegal by the United States government, which has helped to restore the declining numbers of endangered bald eagles.