To make it easier to picture the American bald eagle in the wild, browse the images below.

 

The bald eagle (heliaeetus leucocephalus) is often pictured as a symbol of strength. It is the national bird and animal of the United States appearing on coins and stamps as well as many other pleces.

The bald eagle is a sea eagle and can be found near any large body of water fresh or salt with an abundant food supply and tall, old growth trees for nesting. Their range extends from Alaska and Canada, down through the United States to northern Mexico. Most eagles are residents within their range while the ones in the far northern extent of their range only move far enough during winter to find open water in which to fish. The birds farther north in the range are proportionally larger than their cousins to the south by up to twentyfive percent.

As a sea eagle, their diet consists mainly of fish but they will feed on many other animals, notably smaller water birds. The bald eagle is verified as having carried the heaviest load by any bird when one was observed carrying a fifteen pound mule deer fawn.

It has the largest nest for any North American bird and the largest tree nest for any animal species, measuring up to 8.2' wide, 13' deep and weighing a metric ton. The largest nest ever recorded was one found in Florida in 1963 that measured 10' wide and 20" deep. Most Florida eagle nests found in a natural setting, will be found in pine trees. With the advent of cell towers, eagles have taken a liking to them for nest sites as well.