Bald eagle, (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), the only eagle solely native to North America, and the national bird of the United States.
The bald eagle is actually a sea eagle (Haliaeetus species) that commonly occurs inland along rivers and large lakes. The adult male is about 90 cm (36 inches) long and has a wingspan of 2 metres (6.6 feet). Females, which grow somewhat larger than males, may reach 108 cm (43 inches) in length and have a wingspan of 2.5 metres (8 feet).
The bird is not actually bald; its name derives from the conspicuous appearance of its white-feathered head. The beak, eyes, and feet are yellow.
The bald eagle’s nest is a large platform of sticks built atop a large, isolated tree or pinnacle of rock located within easy flight of water. Nests are usually about 1.5 metres (5 feet) wide, but old nests can be almost twice this size. The two or three eggs laid within take slightly longer than a month to hatch. Both parents share in the incubation and feeding of the young. The immature birds are brown with whitish tail and wing linings, but the pure white head and tail plumage do not appear until the birds are four to five years old.
