Living Beings
    Source-identified Haliaeetus leucocephalus; Documentary organism photograph; source identification retained. Framed for display
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    Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Kachemak Bay, Alaska.jpg · Resized and converted to WebP for display. Documentary organism photograph; source identification retained. Andy Morffew from Itchen Abbas, Hampshire, UK · CC BY 2.0

    Field guide · species

    Bald Eagle

    Haliaeetus leucocephalus

    AnimaliaAvesAccipitriformesAccipitridae

    The bald eagle is a large North American raptor closely associated with water. Fishing, scavenging and opportunistic feeding all contribute to its way of life.

    Public research profile · final editorial review pending.

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    Tree of lifeScientific lineage
    1. LifeLife
    2. DomainEukaryota
    3. KingdomAnimalia
    4. PhylumChordata
    5. ClassAves
    6. OrderAccipitriformes
    7. FamilyAccipitridae
    8. GenusHaliaeetus
    9. SpeciesHaliaeetus leucocephalus
    Advanced classification

    Complete source lineage, including intermediate ranks. The standard view uses Life and the eight principal ranks.

    1. cellular organisms cellular root
    2. Eukaryota domain
    3. Opisthokonta clade
    4. Metazoa kingdom
    5. Eumetazoa clade
    6. Bilateria clade
    7. Deuterostomia clade
    8. Chordata phylum
    9. Craniata subphylum
    10. Vertebrata clade
    11. Gnathostomata clade
    12. Teleostomi clade
    13. Euteleostomi clade
    14. Sarcopterygii superclass
    15. Dipnotetrapodomorpha clade
    16. Tetrapoda clade
    17. Amniota clade
    18. Sauropsida clade
    19. Sauria clade
    20. Archelosauria clade
    21. Archosauria clade
    22. Dinosauria clade
    23. Saurischia clade
    24. Theropoda clade
    25. Coelurosauria clade
    26. Aves class
    27. Neognathae infraclass
    28. Neoaves clade
    29. Telluraves clade
    30. Accipitrimorphae clade
    31. Accipitriformes order
    32. Accipitridae family
    33. Accipitrinae subfamily
    34. Haliaeetus genus
    35. Haliaeetus leucocephalus species
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    Physical traits

    Adults have a white head and tail contrasting with a brown body and a large yellow bill. Young birds are mottled and acquire the familiar adult pattern gradually.

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    Habitat and range

    Lakes, rivers, reservoirs and coasts provide food, while suitable large trees offer nesting and resting sites.

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    Diet and nutrition

    Fish are important, but the bird also takes other animals and carrion. Food may be caught directly, found dead or taken from another bird.

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    Behavior and activity

    Powerful flight and keen vision help eagles locate food over broad areas. The same bird can alternate between hunting and scavenging.

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    Reproduction and life cycle

    Large stick nests are built and reused. Both adults participate in caring for the young.

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    Geographic distribution

    Native to North America. Seasonal movements vary with access to open water and dependable food.

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    Ecological role

    As a predator and scavenger, the bald eagle draws on several parts of aquatic and shoreline food webs.

    Scientific source ↗

    Evidence

    Sources

    Connected life

    No reviewed ecological connections in the collection yet.

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