BALD EAGLE

BALD EAGLE
Fast facts
Before Europeans arrived in North America, there were about half a million bald eagles on the continent.
The Continental Congress adopted the bald eagle as a national symbol in 1782.
Although the Bald Eagle Protection Act was passed in 1940 to guard against the rapid decline of species populations, pesticides such as DDT and disappearing habitats caused further decline. In 1967, bald eagles were declared an endangered species.
In 1995, bald eagles were taken off the endangered species list and are now considered a threatened species.
About half of the world's 70,000 bald eagles live in Alaska. However, from 1917 to 1953, Alaskan salmon fishermen killed more than 100,000 bald eagles because they viewed them as a threat to the salmon population.
Bald eagles are the second largest bird of prey in North America. The California condor is No. 1. Adult female bald eagles weigh about 12 pounds and adult males weigh about 10 pounds.
Bald eagles mate for life and raise one brood of young per year. During February, females lay one or two eggs, sometimes three. Eggs are about the size of a chicken egg and are dull white or pale bluish-white.
Juvenile bald eagles leave the nest at 10 to 13 weeks of age.
Bald eagle life expectancy is about 15 to 20 years.
Sources: Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife and www.baldeagleinfo.com.