The Bald Eagle - the Scientia Review

The Bald Eagle
By Sarah Erickson
Table of Contents
Anatomy of the Bald Eagle ………………………………….
3
Habitat of the Bald Eagle…………………………………….
4
Nesting of the Bald Eagle …………………………............. 5
The Egg and Young of the Bald Eagle …………………… 6
The Food Chain of the Bald Eagle ………………………… 7
The Bald Eagle as the National Bird …………………….. 8
The Endangered Species List ………………………………. 9
The Role of the Bald Eagle in the Native American
10
Culture……………………………………………………………….
Glossary ……………………………………………………………. 11
About the Author………………………………………………… 12
Illustration Credits …………………………………………….. 13
2
Anatomy of the Bald Eagle
The bald eagle (Haliaeetus
Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is characterized by
a brownish – black body and a white head and tail. Using its
razor sharp talons and beak, it is one of the largest North
American birds of prey. When fully grown, the wingspan of
a bald eagle can range from 5 to 8 ft., and its total body
bod
length can reach 2 to 3 ft. A mature bald eagle can
weigh approximately 6 to 14 pounds.. In
addition, the females weigh roughly 25%
more than the males.
Beak:
Beak The yellow
beak is used to
catch prey
p
using the
strongest muscles
in the body of the
bird.
Head: The white
head shows the
bird is a mature
bird
Wings: The
wings allow
the bird to fly
for hundreds
of miles
without end
at an altitude
of 10,000 ft.
Talons: The talons
are used to capture
prey, to perch, and
allow the bald eagle
to carry roughly
half their weight in
flight.
3
Habi
bitat of the Bald Eagle
The bald eagle prefers to
live in and around areas
with bodies of water
containing a large
population of fish. This
allows
ows the eagle to have an
abundant food supply.
The bald eagle naturally
inhabits North America
including Canada, the
continental United States
States, and
parts of Mexico.
DID YOU KNOW?
The bald eagles that live in warmer climates are generally
smaller than those animals that live in colder climates. Also,
the eagles living in colder climates have a whiter head than
those living in warmer climates.
4
Nesting of the Bald Eagle
The bald eagle lives in hardwood tress around wetlands to
perch and nest. The female bald eagle chooses the location of the
nest to be high off the ground and in a less dense forest. The nest
can be as large as nine foot in diameter.
MATERIALS
USED IN THE
NEST:
Twigs
Soft Mosses
Grasses
Feathers
Medium Size
Branches
• Leaves
•
•
•
•
•
WHERE DO
YOU FIND THE
NESTS?
•
•
•
•
Tall trees
Cliffs
Sea Coasts
Lakeshores
5
The Egg and Young of the Bald
Eagle
The egg of the bald eagle is
roughly the size of a
chicken egg. The mother
eagle will produce one to
three eggs every hatching
season, and the eggs will
hatch approximately 35
days after they are laid.
The feathers of a immature bald eagle
are brown and speckled like those in
the picture to the right. The bald
eagle will get its characteristically
white head when it is about five years
old. Although the young bald eagle
resembles the golden eagle, the beak
of the bald eagle is more hooked and
there aree generally more white
feathers on the body of the bald eagle.
6
The Food Chain of the Bald
ld Eagle
Because of their size, bald eagles have few predators and are at the
top of the food chain. Also, the bald eagle is a scavenger feasting
on any easy, protein-rich
rich food supplies available. Bald eagles
mainly eat fish, although they will eat ducks
ducks,, rabbits, squirrels,
young deer, and even other birds. They can prey on fish from both
fresh and salt water. In addition, bald eagles are known to steal
food from other birds.
Once an eagle spots a fish swimming near the surface of the
water, it approaches its prey and snatches the fish out of the
water using its talons. The bald eagle does not have to eat
everyday because it has a separate pouch in its stomach,
which can store food.
7
The Bald Eagle as the National
Bird
ational Bird of
The Bald Eagle is the National
the United States. The bird is shown
sho
on the Seal of the President of the
United States, one of the most
recognizable political symbols.
The bald eagle was chosen as the National Bird because the
species is unique to the United States as well as is strong,
powerful, and beautiful. In 178
1784,
4, Benjamin Franklin criticized the
choice explaining how he would have preferred the wild turkey.
He thought the bald eagle was of bad moral character. However,
the bald eagle remained as the national bird representing
freedom, spirit, and the pursuit of excellence. Also, the bald eagle
appears on the Presidential Flag, on the backs of several coins, in
many American art pieces and the American dollar.
8
The Endangered Species List
The Endangered Species Act of 1973
created a list that determined animals
which needed to be preserved or otherwise
would become extinct. From this list, we
delegate resources to preservation
programs and regulate hunting laws. The
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) have the authority
of placing species on and off this list.
Bald Eagles were added to the endangered
species list at the end of the 20th century.
However, with strong conservation efforts,
the species was moved to the threatened
list in 2000 and are currently not on either
list.
WHY ARE ANIMALS ADDED TO THE LIST?
• If the animal’s habitat or range is of a present or threatened
destruction
• If there is an overuse of the animal for commercial,
recreational, scientific, or education purposes
• If the population of the animal is decreasing due to diseased
• If other natural or man-made factors are affecting the
species’ continued existence
9
The Role of the Bald Eagle in the
Native American Culture
The bald eagle is a sacred animal in
many North American tribes. Often the
feathers are used in the traditional dress
worn by the participants of the
ceremonies.
The Sun Dance,
Dance a
ceremonial dance
performed
formed by many
Plains Indian Tribes,
incorporates the bald
eagle in many special
ways. A whistle is used
during the ceremony
made from wing bone of
an eagle. Also, a fan made
of bald eagle feathers is
used to heal people
spiritually.
DID YOU KNOW?
In many tribes throughout the United States, a bald eagle
feather is given to someone who has accomplished a great task.
Now, many of these feathers are given to new graduates of high
school and college.
10
Glossary
Anatomy – the structure of an organism
Bird of Prey – a meat eating bird usually those who eat smaller
birds
Endangered – animals that are endangered becoming extinct or
dying off
Habitat – the places an organism naturally lives
Perching – when a bird is sitting on a branch and is resting
Predator – an animal that hunts other animals for food
Scavenger – an animal that eats dead remains of other animals
or plants
Talons – long, hooked claws on the feet of birds of prey
The Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) – an organization that
conserves, protects, and enhances fish, wildlife, and plants
for the benefit of the American people
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – a
federal agency focused on the condition of the oceans and
the atmosphere
11
About the Author
The author‘s name is Sarah
Erickson, and she is currently a
junior at the Massachusetts
Academy of Math and Science at
WPI in Worcester. She wrote the
book for a required class called
Technical Science Writing
instructed by Dr. Sumner.
Before attending Mass Academy,
Sarah attended Worcester Academy
in Worcester. She enjoys a variety of
hobbies including soccer, skiing,
softball, and Irish Step Dancing. For
the past two years, Sarah has been a
ski instructor at Wachusett Mountain.
She is also involved with FIRST
Robotics and the Mass Academy team
190.
After graduating high school,
Sarah hopes to become an
engineer. Also, she hopes to
be able to donate much of her
time to Habitat for
Humanity, an organization
where she is currently
volunteering.
12
Illustration Credits
Title Page
Bald Eagle Picture (Eagle Swooping to Water)
http://www.wildnatureimages.com/
PAGE 2: Anatomy of the Bald Eagle
The National Eagle Center (Perching Eagle)
http://www.nationaleaglecenter.org/
San Juan Wildlife & Nature Photograph (Soaring Bald Eagle)
http://www.theragens.com/
PAGE 3: Habitat of the Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle – Great Lakes Habitat (Landscape)
http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/
Salmon Family (Salmon)
http://pond.dnr.cornell.edu/
The City of Marshfield (Map)
http://ci.marshfield.wi.us/
PAGE 4: Nesting of the Bald Eagle
Yellowstone Ecology Institute
http://www.naturalsciences.org/education/Yellowstone/
PAGE 5: The Eggs and Young of the Bald Eagle
Cbcnews.ca (Bald Eagle and Egg)
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/pix/eagles_nest060404.jpg
Young Bald Eagle (Immature Bald Eagle)
http://www.hickerphoto.com/
PAGE 6: The Food Chain of the Bald Eagle
National Geographic (Salmon)
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/
Tony Northrup (Wild Rabbit)
http://www.northrup.org/
13
National Geographic (Wild Duck)
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/
The Fish Sniffer (Bald Eagle with Fish)
http://www.fishsniffer.com/
PAGE 7: The Bald Eagle as the National Bird
Endangered Species Protection (The Seal of the President of the United States)
http://pages.cthome.net/rwinkler/PresidentofUSSeal.jpg
The United States Mint (Bald Eagle’s Young Coin)
http://www.usmint.gov/images/mint_programs/commemoratives/
The United States Mint (Bald Eagle Coin)
http://www.usmint.gov/images/mint_programs/commemoratives/
El Civics for ESL Students (United States Dollar)
http://www.elcivics.com/
PAGE 8: The Endangered Species List
University of Hawai’i (NOAA Emblem)
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Emblem)
http://www.fws.gov/
PAGE 9: The Role of the Bald Eagle in Native American Culture
National Bird Conservatory (Bald Eagle Feather Picture)
http://americanhistory.si.edu/feather/images/C50.jpg
Sun Dance (Traditional Native American Dress)
http://www.crystalinks.com/sundance2.jpg
PAGE 11: About the Author
Wachusett Mountain (Wachusett Mountain Logo)
Wawa.wachusett.com
Mass Academy Chemistry, Physics, Engineering and Their Activities (Mass Academy
Logo)
http://users.wpi.edu/~bonneau/towers.gif
14