

Monday, November 19, 2012

Majestic Birds

The majestic Bald Eagle is a large and powerful bird of prey.
The scientific name, Haliaeetus, means “sea eagle” and leucocephalus translates as “white head.” Though the eagle’s white head may look bald to some, the word “bald” actually comes from the old English word for white.

 There are 59 species of Eagles in the world, but the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle are the only eagles found in North America. The Bald Eagle does not occur outside of North America.

Eagles use a combination of scavenging and hunting to secure their food supply.
Adults are more likely to kill live prey, whereas juveniles rely mostly on scavenging and piracy (snatching food from other birds.) Bald Eagles primarily eat fish, but also feed on sea birds and mammals. When hunting, eagles will often target sickly or wounded individuals. Eagles also scavenge for carrion, and feed upon road-kill, or dead fish. Rivers with salmon that have died after spawning attract high number of eagles.
A hungry eagle will eat almost anything, and eagles will not hesitate to steal a meal from other birds as seen in these photos