American Bald Eagles

Norfolk Botanical Gardens have a webcam watching baby bald eagles.  The kids and I have been fascinated to watch these guys several times a day.  It is amazing to see the eagles interacting with their parents, being fed, and watching nature in action.  Yesterday, April 17th, they were taken from the nest and banded.  Much of the information about them has been recorded on these websites: 

 

Eggs!

Eagle Cam live:  Norfolk Botanical Gardens

Stills from the banding

Statistics on the three eaglets—COOL!

This is the oldest, a female!  She is so cute!!  She is a ‘sturdy girl’ weighing in almost 2lbs more than her brothers!

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What we didn’t know before…

 

· Eagles may be taken off the endangered species list by July of 2007.  They will still be protected because of other legislation. 

· Eagles are in the same family as hawks, kites and old world vultures (not to be confused with new world vultures!)

· The word “bald” used to mean ‘white’

· They are found over most of North America

· Half of the 70,000 eagles live in Alaska

· Eagles don’t get the trademark white head until 5 years of age *We have a youngster that I have come face to face with in our backyard who had not yet gotten his white head, yet other’s in the neighborhood have seen a pair of white heads.

· Males weigh less than Females, who are around 11 pounds, while males top out at 9

· They mainly eat salmon

· They mate for life, but live in groups especially during the winter months