Bald eagle

At the Detroit Zoo
The Detroit Zoo is home to two male bald eagles. Both birds were wild-born but suffered wing injuries that prevented them from being released back into the wild. Lindy – named for famous American aviator Charles Lindbergh – was found on Orcas Island, Washington, in April 1988 and came to the Detroit Zoo in October of that year. Flash – so named because he flew into electrical transmission wires – came here from Kodiak Island, Alaska, in November 2009. The Detroit Zoo collects the molted bald eagle feathers and provides them to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be distributed to Native Americans for use in religious ceremonies.The bald eagles can be found in the American Grasslands.

Description
The bald eagle earned its name from the Old English word "balde," meaning white, referring to the distinctive white feathers covering its head and tail.

Scientific name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Continent: North America
Habitat: Dense coniferous forests along lakes and streams
Size: Females are 35-37 inches with a wingspan of 72-90 inches; males are smaller
Weight: 10-14 pounds
Diet: Mainly fish, but will also eat dead or decaying animals
Reproduction:Incubation 35 days; one to three eggs
Lifespan: 25 years
Conservation Status: The bald eagle is a true conservation success story. Thanks to the ban of DDT in the early 1960s and federal protection, their numbers have been steadily increasing across the country. The species was removed from the federal endangered species list in 2010. They are listed as a species of special concern in Michigan, but their nesting range has expanded, including several sites along the Detroit River.

FUN FACTS

A symbol of strength and freedom, the bald eagle was chosen in 1782 as the National Emblem and is pictured on the Great Seal of the United States.