Back on June 20, 1782, the American Bald Eagle was chosen as the national bird and emblem of the newly formed United States. At the time, they believed the Bald Eagle was only found in the US. They liked its symbolism of strength and long life. It is usually shown carrying an olive branch for peace, 13 arrows for the strength of the original 13 colonies, and a scroll stating "E Pluribus Unum".

The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is indeed only found in North America, although this includes Canada as well as the US. The "Bald" in its name refers to its white head, not to a featherless head. There are about 70,000 bald eagles living today, with about half of those living in the state of Alaska.

Bald Eagles were once endangered, but their population has rebounded enough that most organizations now consider them to be stable. Eagles can now be found in most of the US and Canada. They migrate from their winter ranges in the lower states up to their summer ranges in the upper reaches of Canada.

Bald Eagles mate for life, although if one of the pair dies, the other will promptly find a new mate. Each couple stakes out a territory of around 2 miles square and protects it from all other eagles. Nests are build in high trees or in rocky crags, and can reach 5' or more in diameter.

Only 1 to 3 eggs are laid, and those only when the weather and conditions seem good for raising a chick. The eggs are incubated for just over a month, and by 3-4 months after hatching, they are flying and pretty self sufficient. Eagles can live for up to 30 years.

American Bald Eagle Presents
Birds that Mate for Life

State Bird Listing