Bald Eagle Fact Sheet

This fact sheet includes general biological information on bald eagles, what kind of habitat eagles use, why their population declined in the past, how their population rebounded, and general population estimates of how many eagles there are currently.

Publication date

Mar 24, 2021

Type of document

Fact Sheet

Program

A large bird with brown feathers, white head, and yellow beak flies against a pale blue sky

Migratory Birds

The Migratory Bird Program works with partners to protect, restore and conserve bird populations and their habitats for the benefit of future generations by: ensuring long-term ecological sustainability of all migratory bird populations, increasing socioeconomic benefits derived from birds,...

Program

Washington,DC

Eagle Management

Forty years ago, our national symbol, the bald eagle, was in danger of extinction throughout most of its range. Habitat destruction and degradation, illegal shooting, and the contamination of its food source, largely as a consequence of DDT, decimated the eagle population. Habitat protection...

Program

Species

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

A large raptor, the bald eagle has a wingspread of about seven feet. Adults have a dark brown body and wings, white head and tail, and a yellow beak. Juveniles are mostly brown with white mottling on the body, tail, and undersides of wings. Adult plumage usually is obtained by the sixth year. In...

FWS Focus

Species

Kingdom

Animalia

Taxonomic Rank

Species

Subject tags

Birds

Migratory birds