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Bald Eagle
(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Description: The adult bald eagle is recognized by everyone as the symbol of our country. Adult bald eagles have dark bodies and wings with the familiar white head, neck, and tail feathers. Young eagles are less distinctive, adding the white feathers gradually after one year of age. Bald eagles are large birds, with body lengths of 28 to 32 inches and with wingspreads of 6 to 7 feet. Eagles catch and eat fish and other prey and will eat dead animals along lake and river shores and roadsides. Bald eagles nest in large trees, often near water. These nests are usually located near the tops of the tallest trees and are added to and re-used year after year. Generally, eagles nest in Alabama during October - May, but may stay on the nest until August. Eagles are increasing in numbers across the nation.

baldeagle.gif (20468 bytes)Forestry Considerations: When forestry operations are scheduled in areas where eagles are known or suspected to nest, care should be taken to search out the area and to protect the area surrounding the nest tree if one is found. Guidelines have been formulated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for the Southeast which recommend restrictions of activities around known eagle nests. Although these guidelines are only advisory and voluntary, following them should prevent human disturbance which can be detrimental to eagles. Some eagles are sensitive to human activities and may abandon their nest if disturbed. Recommended restrictions include no logging or other tree cutting, road building, or use of chemicals toxic to wildlife within a zone ranging from 750 to 1500 feet around an eagle nest site. Human entry, particularly when eagles are present and nesting, should be restricted. Roost trees and potential replacement nest trees are also important to eagles and should be protected in much the same way as nest trees. If an eagle nest is spotted or suspected, all potentially disturbing activities should be halted immediately and the Alabama Department of Conservation and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service notified.

Distribution by County: Bald eagles occur in several Alabama counties, usually associated with river systems, lakes, bays, and other bodies of water. Counties with reported eagle presence include Baldwin, Barbour, Cherokee, Choctaw, Covington, Dallas, Elmore, Henry, Jackson, Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, Morgan, Tallapoosa, and Winston. Other less well documented sightings have been reported in several other counties.

 

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