Michigan City Parks & Recreation Department

Scientific name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Size/weight/height:
Head/Body Length:
Females: 35-37 in.; Males: 30-34 in.
Wingspan:
Females: 79-90 in.; Males: 72-85 in.
Weight: 10-14 lbs.

Behavior

• Migration: Some migrate and others do not. When the lakes and rivers freeze, eagles in the north tend to migrate to the coast or larger rivers, which remain unfrozen.
• Nesting: typically 5 feet in diameter; eagles use the same nest over several years, which can get up to 9 feet in diameter and weigh up to 2 tons. Nesting territory is usually 1 to 2 square miles and guarded against other eagles during nesting season.

Reproduction/lifespan

• Lifespan: In the wild, average life expectancy is 15-20 years but they can live as long as 30 years.
• Mating: In the South, late September-November; in the Great Plains and Mountain West, January-March; in Alaska, March-early April. Eagles mate for life but will accept a new mate if one dies.
• Gestation: Eggs are laid 5-10 days after successful copulation; incubation is 35 days.
• Birth: 1-3 eggs laid within a few days of each other.

Diet
Wild: In the wild they primarily feed on dead fish and rodents.
Zoo: Dead Rodents, Bird of Prey Meat diet, and chicken

Habitat/range
They are unique to North America.

Coloration:  
Adults: blackish-brown back and breast; white head, neck, tail; yellow feet and bill.
Juvenile: mixture of brown and white; black bill.

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