Bald Eagle - Sierra Club BC
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Bald Eagle

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Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Appearance 

Bald eagles grow to about one metre tall and have a wingspread of over two meters. The female is bigger than the male. They have a white head, brown wings, a white tail and a large yellow bill. 

Range & Habitat

Bald eagles are found all over B.C. and the U.S. (mostly in Florida and Alaska). The largest populations live in B.C. and Alaska. They are a protected species in the U.S. In B.C., this animal lives in all ecoprovinces. 

Reciprocal Connections

The bald eagle is an important predator for ecosystem balance. These beings can be spotted during the herring run off Vancouver Island swooping down to catch fish. They also consume small mammals and birds, and will scavenge for food. These majestic birds play an important role in nutrient cycling, by bringing marine nutrients (found in fish) into terrestrial ecosystems. This can help trees grow taller through enriching the soil. These birds are creatures of habit. They like to use the same nest every year and build it up in the tall trees. They put in a lot of energy to create these nests, and a single nest can weigh more than a car.  

Lifecycles & Threats

Young bald eagles are patchy brown and white. They take at least four years to grow their adult white head and tail. They live up to 30 years in the wild. With a flight speed of 30 to 65 kilometres per hour, bald eagles can migrate great distances. These birds can migrate anywhere between Alaska and Mexico throughout the year, but they can be found in lower and coastal British Columbia all year-round.  

Threats to bald eagles include pesticides, especially DDT which is used to control insects on food crops. If eagles eat other animals or insects with DDT on or in them the shells of the eggs that the eagles lay become too thin to hold in their chicks. The good news is that DDT has now been banned in Canada and eagle populations are increasing.

Status

COSEWIC: Not at Risk 
CDC: Yellow 

Photo Credit

Mya Van Woudenberg

More Information

If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca. 

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