Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia All animals are apart of Kingdom Animalia also known as Metazoa. All members of Animalia are multicellular and are also all heterotrophs.
Phylum Chordata Chordates are organisms that have a rod like structure called a notochord. A notochord is a rod that stretches most of the length of the body.
Subphylum Vertebrata Vertebrates all share a vertebral column, the vertebral column is a long chain like structure that stretches through the dorsal surface. The dorsal surface creates the main skeletal axis of the body.
Class Aves Birds are vertebrates with feathers, designed for flying and for active metabolism
Order Falconiformes Falconiformes are diurnal birds of prey that all share thing alike such as, all of them have curved talons, trimmed wings and a pointed beak.
Family Accipitridae The family Accipitridae holds many of the diurnal birds of prey. Including hawks, and eagles, accipitrids are found world wide.
Genus Haliaeetus This genus only includes fish eagles .
Species Haliaeetus leucocephalus
General Description
Length The bald eagles length stretches from 79 to 94 inches.
Weight The average weight for a bald eagle is about 9.5lbs.
Color The bald eagles color is typically all the same with the exception of when it is first born with its all white fur. Bald eagles always have a white feathery head with brown and black feathers on it's body.
Natural Range The bald range may vary across the world but they usually will be spotted in most spots of the United States.
Diet The bald eagle mainly eats birds, mammals, fish, eggs, and carrions
Habitat Description Bald eagles usually live up in trees in the North and South.
Predators The bald eagle does not have much predators besides other birds and humans
Stalking it's Prey
Pointy Beak
Natural Range Map
PHYSICAL ADAPTATIONS
Bald eagles mate fore life, they also have talons or little black claws at the end of their feet to help them lift and hold onto their prey while they're flying. The bald eagle also has a yellow beak with a sharp point on it that helps tear or rip open it's prey to make it easier for it and it's eaglets to eat. And lastly the bald eagles wings have a very aerodynamic wing which helps it soar fast through the sky for it to snatch it's prey or fly from it's predators.
BEHAVIORAL ADAPTATIONS
Bald eagles usually build their nests in trees some 40 feet up in the south, sometimes though in the North bald eagles will build their nests off of rocky cliffs or pinnacles.
Bald eagles will also hide up in trees sometimes and stalk it's prey once it spots it's prey it will attack. Sometimes the bald eagle will hover over the water and look for it's prey and once spotted the eagle will dive in and grab it. Rarely however bald eagles will steal the osprey's catch and eat it with the rest of it's family while the osprey goes home hungry.
References
References
Burton, M. (2002). Bald eagle. In International wildlife encyclopedia (3rd ed., Vol. 1, pp. 123-125). New York, NY: Marshall Cavendish.
Finnegan, S. (n.d.). National geographic. Retrieved from Bald Eagles website: http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/sites/kids/NGS/wpf/printcreature/baldeagle.html
Siciliano Martina, L. 2013. "Haliaeetus leucocephalus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed March 11, 2015 at http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Haliaeetus_leucocephalus/