Soaring through the heavens with the cool wind caressing her feathers, the bald eagle surveys the Chilkat River below. Above her is a broad blue sky streaked with the occasional wispy white cloud. Before her is striking scenery of the imposing Alaskan mountains which are hugged by soft autumn-colored hills. The river below full of salmon. This is the time of the year called the Salmon Run when the river teams with the fish as they struggle to make their way upriver to spawn. And this is also the time where more than three thousand bald eagles gather to feed upon the exhausted salmon. More eagles gather here than anywhere else in the world. In fact, there are more bald eagles in the state of Alaska than in all 49 other states combined. But bald eagles can be seen throughout the North American continent. One reason this bird was adopted as the national emblem of the United States in 1782 is its exclusiveness to North America. Like the United States, the bald eagle represents freedom, power, and dignity.

Flying effortlessly among the strong currents of air, the bald eagle scans the river for salmon. Her eyesight is 4-8 times better than humans so she doesn’t have to fly low in order to spot a fish. When she sees a prospective prey, she dives down to the water’s surface and grabs a dying fish with her powerful talons. This time, she only skimmed the surface of the river, producing a grand display of splashing water, but sometimes she actually dives into the water in order to capture her prey. With the dead salmon clutched in her talons, she glides with her wings spread out to a total of almost 8 feet. She then lands smoothly in her nest which is located in a tall tree. With her powerful sharp beak, she tears into the flesh of the salmon with ease.

She is bigger than her mate, weighing 13 pounds to his 10. Together as mates for life they share a nest which is over 15 feet across and grows larger every year. No chicks inhabit the nest at this time. Breeding season won’t start here in Alaska until about March or April. (If they lived in the far south of the United States, they might begin breeding as early as November.) When they do breed, she usually lays two eggs. Both her and her mate share the responsibility of incubating the eggs, a period which lasts about 35 days. Of the two chicks born, generally only one survives.

Before breeding, she and her mate practice a courtship ritual which involves a magnificent aerial display. They begin the courtship by circling high in the air, with the male flying directly above her. In a mock attack, he would suddenly swoop down upon her. Just before impact, she would turn upside down and they would lock talons. Locked together in this spectacular stunt, they would tumble to the earth. Watching such a dramatic scene would leave us tensely holding our breath, only exhaling when the two eagles break apart at the last moment. This courtship ritual was played when she matured at about 5 years of age, which was also when her head turned from brown to white. She and her mate often renew their courtship every year. And like her mate, she may live to be more than twenty years old.

Bald Eagle Facts:

• The bald eagle is a bird of prey in the order falconiformes, family accipitridae, genus & species Haliaeetus leucocephalus.
• More than three thousand eagles gather along the Chilkat River in Alaska during the fall which is when the Salmon Run takes place.
• More bald eagles live in Alaska than in the other 49 states combined.
• Bald Eagles are exclusive to North America.
• The bald eagle was adopted as the national emblem of the United States in 1782.
• Bald eagles have eyesight which is 4-8 times better than humans.
• Bald eagles may dive under water to catch a fish.
• The wingspan of a bald eagle can be up to 8 feet in length.
• Depending on which part of the country the eagle lives, they may nest in tall trees, on cliffs, or even on the ground.
• Bald eagles usually use the same nest every year.
• Each year, bald eagles add to their nest making it grow larger and larger every year.
• An eagle’s nest can grow to several feet in length and can even weigh more than a ton.
• A matured female bald eagle can weigh more than 13 pounds while a matured male bald eagle may only get up to 10 pounds.
• Breeding season for bald eagles are from November to April depending on where they live. The further south they live, the earlier they start breeding.
• Bald eagles mate for life.
• Bald eagles usually lay two eggs and generally only one of the two chicks survive.
• The male and female bald eagle share the incubation period of the eggs which lasts about 35 days.
• The courtship of eagles is an elaborate act in which the two eagles have their talons locked together and they fall to the earth, breaking apart at the last moment. As they plummet to the earth, male is on top and the female is on the bottom turned upside down.
• Bald eagles mature at about 4-5 years of age which is also when their head turns from brown to white.
• Bald eagles can live to be 25 years of age in the wild and are known to live over 40 years of age in captivity.

Find great eagle figurines, collectable sculptures, and home decor on the American Wildlife page.