The American Bald Eagle is also commonly referred to as the American Eagle or simply Bald Eagle and is native to the Americas. Its scientific name is Haliaeetus leucocephalus.

The American Bald Eagle is not actually bald; the name alludes to the white feathering of the head that develops in adult eagles of this species. The white colour contrasts against the dark colour that is displayed on the rest of the eagle’s body and this can make the American Bald Eagle look as if it has no feathers at all on its head – at least when viewed from a distance.

The scientific name of this predatory bird, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, is actually also derived form the fact that the head of the eagle is white. The word leukos means white in Greek, while the word kephale means head. The second part of the eagles name thus translates “white head” or “white headed”. The first part of the scientific name, Haliaeetus, is not Greek but New Latin and means sea eagle. This is an aptly chosen name since the American Bald Eagle is frequently seen along the coast where it feeds on fish. It can however be found in the inland as well, often near streams and lakes.

The American Bald Eagle is one of the largest birds that inhabit the North American continent and an adult American Bald Eagle can have a wing span that exceeds 8 feet. Adult Bald Eagles around 29 to 42 inches long and weigh from 7 to 15 pounds. The largest Bald Eagles are the females; the males stay considerably smaller. The size of an American Bald Eagle is also affected by geographical location; northern Bald Eagles are usually bigger than southern Bald Eagles.

An adult Bald Eagle displays a dark brown body colouration and distinctive white feathers on its head. It is also equipped with white tail feathers, yellow eyes and a yellow beak. It will however take 4-5 years for the Bald Eagle to develop this colouration. When the small eagle emerges from its egg in the nest it is covered in grey, woolly feathering and its eyes as well as its beak are dark brown. Before its time for the eagle to leave the nest, something which usually takes place when the eagle is 12 weeks of age, its feathering will have turned to a dark brown shade. This colouration will then remain until the third or fourth year when the bird starts showing mottled brown and white feathering under its wings, on its tail, on its breast and on its head.

The American Bald Eagle has been the official symbol for the United States of America for over 200 years. The Second Continental Congress made the American Bald Eagle the official National Emblem of this budding new nation in 1782. At this point, the American Bald Eagle was already a traditional symbol for freedom, spirit and excellence among Native Americans as well as European settlers. The American Bald Eagle is also an aptly chosen symbol since it is exclusively found in North America. Ben Franklin did however oppose the choice since he found the American Bald Eagle to be of bad moral character. Ben Franklin was instead a strong advocate for the Wild Turkey as official National Emblem for the United States of America.

Bald Eagles form lifelong relationships with their mate and will only seek out a new mate if their spouse dies. This means that they can stay together for a very long time, since a wild Bald Eagle can live up to 40 years. They can grow even older in captivity. The Bold Eagle couple will build a large nest together in a tall tree and return to the same nest each year. If the nest is destroyed, they will usually build a new nest close to the old one. Each year, the Bald Eagle couple will make their nest even larger by adding new building materials. It is not uncommon for a five feet nest to eventually turn into a ten feet wide nest. The eagles will use twigs, grass, soft mosses and feathers to line their nests.

More information about Bald eagles including a lot of interesting Bald eagle facts