The bald eagle is a powerful bird of prey and the national bird of the United States. With its white head, sharp eyes and huge wings, it soars high over lakes and rivers looking for fish. Let's fly into some fun bald eagle facts!
🦅 Bald Eagle quick facts
- Animal type
- Bird (bird of prey)
- Home
- Near lakes, rivers and coasts across North America
- Food
- Mostly fish, plus birds and small animals
- Size
- Wingspan of about 6 to 7.5 feet (1.8 to 2.3 m)
- Life span
- About 20 years or more in the wild
25 Bald Eagle Facts for Kids
- The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States.
- Bald eagles live only in North America.
- Bald eagles aren't really bald. 'Bald' comes from an old word meaning white-headed.
- Young bald eagles are mostly brown and don't get their white heads until they are about 5 years old.
- A bald eagle's wings can stretch about 6 to 7.5 feet (1.8 to 2.3 m) from tip to tip.
- Female bald eagles are bigger than males.
- Bald eagles have amazing eyesight and can spot a fish from very high in the sky.
- Their favorite food is fish, which they snatch from the water with their sharp talons.
- Bald eagles also eat birds, small mammals and sometimes steal food from other birds.
- A bald eagle's feet have rough bumps that help it hold slippery fish.
- Bald eagles build the biggest nests of any North American bird.
- Eagle pairs often use the same nest year after year and keep adding sticks to it.
- One famous bald eagle nest weighed about 2 tons, as much as a car!
- Bald eagle pairs usually stay together for life.
- Mother eagles usually lay one to three eggs.
- Both parents take turns keeping the eggs warm and feeding the chicks.
- Baby eagles are called eaglets.
- Eaglets are covered in fluffy gray down when they hatch.
- Young eagles learn to fly when they are about 10 to 12 weeks old.
- Bald eagles can soar for a long time on warm rising air without flapping their wings.
- Bald eagles have a surprisingly high, squeaky call.
- A bald eagle has around 7,000 feathers.
- Bald eagles were once in danger, but laws protecting them helped them make a huge comeback.
- Today, bald eagles are no longer endangered.
- Bald eagles can live 20 years or more in the wild.
Questions kids ask about bald eagles
Are bald eagles really bald?
No! Bald eagles have white feathers on their heads. The name comes from an old English word meaning white-headed.
What do bald eagles eat?
Bald eagles mostly eat fish, which they grab from the water with their talons. They also eat birds and small animals.
How big is a bald eagle?
Bald eagles are about 3 feet tall, and their wings can stretch 6 to 7.5 feet across.
Why is the bald eagle the symbol of the United States?
The bald eagle was chosen as the national bird in 1782 because it is strong, free and found only in North America.
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