The Bald Eagle's Natural Habitat

The symbol of the United States, the bald eagle has come back from severely depleted numbers across much of the nation. This raptor typically lives in close proximity to some body of water and builds one of the largest nests in the bird world.

  1. Effects

    • At one time, the bald eagle lived in every state in the U.S. except Hawaii. Nevertheless, an estimated 100,000 pairs of breeding eagles dwindled to just 417 by 1963 as the loss of their habitat, shooting by hunters and poisoning from pesticides drove the bird towards extinction.

    Time Frame

    • On March 11, 1967, the federal government declared the bald eagle a threatened species. Conservation efforts have proven so successful that on August 8, 2007, this bird of prey came off the endangered lists.

    Geography

    • The largest populations of bald eagles now exist in Alaska and Canada, with substantial populations in the Pacific Northwest, the Great Lakes Region, the Chesapeake Bay Area and in Florida. Bald eagles breed in every one of the lower 48 states with the exception of Vermont.

    Habitat

    • The natural habitat of the bald eagle includes settings near coastlines, lakes, streams and other bodies of water large enough to provide the bird with sufficient food. Fish constitutes much of the eagle's diet.

    Nest

    • The bald eagle will choose nesting sites such as cliffs, utility poles and large trees, building a massive nest of sticks that can exceed 1,000 pounds in weight. The breeding pair will return to this nest yearly.