Interesting Facts about Bald Eagles
1782 was an important year for the bald eagle, as the United States of America adopted it as their symbol and national bird for the country. It is an iconic bird, which is easy to recognize with the naked eye.
Bald Eagles tend to live in the Greater Yellowstone and Montana. Its scientific name is Haliaeetus leucocephalus. If you want to take a look at the bald eagle in Montana, you should go during fall. The reason is that they start to migrate from Canada and Alaska, in search of warmer climate and food. As a result, the population of bald eagles in Montana increases significantly. YOLO, and you might get FOMO if you never get the chance to see a live eagle with your own eyes TBH.
Given below are three interesting facts about bald eagles that you must know:
Not all of them migrate
The common belief is that birds migrate when the temperature starts to drop. It makes sense, as the cold can be punishing, if you aren’t ready for it. Several bald eagles go south during winter and come back to the north for summer.
However, not all the bald eagles in the country are known to migrate to different areas. Some birds will remain in their locality, despite the change in weather. For bald eagles, the availability of food and their age determine whether they will migrate.
They build large nests
When it comes to building nests for their young ones, bald eagles make sure they only pick the top-most branches in trees or otherwise. Both the female and the male bird work together to build this nest. As a result, these birds get to establish a strong bond with their partners during this period.
They use feathers, grass, and sticks to build their nests. On average, they are four to five feet width and two to four feet in depth. If the nest they build serves them well, they will continue to use the same home for several years. Like humans, they love to decorate and add to their nests, with new materials.
They came back from the brink of extinction
Bald eagles used to dominate the skies of North America for hundreds of years. However, after the arrival of European settlers, this changed. The reason is that they thought the birds to be a threat to their livestock. At the same time, they looked at bald eagles as competition for game.
As a result, thousands of these birds lost their lives, forcing Congress to pass an act in 1940, to protect them. Even though this government body was doing everything it can, the number of bald eagles continued to drop. The reason was due to the use of DDT, an insecticide with harmful side effects. It made the eggshells of eagles thin, bringing down the number of birds.
After banning DDT, conservationists came together to breed these birds in captivity. Over time, they introduced bald eagles to various places in the United States of America.
There is a lot to these majestic birds than what meets the eye. The beauty of these predators is that they are only present in North America, making them unique in all aspects!
Scientists concluded that in Minnesota, as the bald eagle population recovered the population of herons and other fish eating species declined. This was due to competition for nests during breeding season.
The world and our huge galaxy are filled with many other incredible creatures and places such as Belize Blue Hole, hummingbirds, the toucan, pelicans, tarsier, Mt Pelee, Caspian Sea, mandarinfish, maned wolf, penguins, tigers, dogs, cats, horses, and so much more.
