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Bald Eagle Pop Quiz

Which of the following bald eagle statements is true?

1. It was chosen as a national symbol of the United States in 1782 because of the bird’s long life, great strength, and majestic looks.

2. It's a distinctive raptor found throughout North America. from Baja California and Florida all the way to Alaska and Newfoundland.

3. It was once listed as an endangered species but its population has rebounded and is now considered threatened in the lower 48 states. It's still threatened by illegal shooting, harmful pesticides, and habitat loss.

4. The National Zoo opened an exhibit to celebrate this bird in 2003.

Answer at bottom of page.

Bald Eagle Fun Facts:

  • The bald eagle’s scientific name, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, means “white-headed sea eagle.”
  • The bald eagle is the only sea eagle—there are eight different species—that inhabits North America.
  • As with all sea eagles, the primary food source for bald eagles is fish. They also feed on carrion, birds, small mammals, and reptiles.
  • The bald eagle is a short-distance migrant, meaning that the majority of individuals in the population remain in North America during the winter—as opposed to long-distance or Neotropical migratory birds that winter in Latin America and the Caribbean.
  • Adult eagles are about three feet from head to tail and weigh ten to 12 pounds.
  • As in most birds of prey, female eagles are larger than males.
  • Eagles can live up to 28 years in the wild.
  • Bald eagles generally nest in large trees near water and often use the same nest year after year. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in the Chesapeake Bay watershed bald eagles show a preference for nesting in mature loblolly pines, tulip poplars, and oaks near the water.
  • The largest bald eagle nest ever recorded was found in Florida. It was more than nine feet wide and 20 feet high and weighed more than two tons.
  • Each fall, the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve in Alaska hosts one of the world’s largest concentration of eagles as 3,000 birds congregate there to prey on salmon spawning in the shallow waters.

Quiz Answer: All of the above!

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