White eagle. White-tailed eagle - a description of the bird where the white-tailed eagle lives. The Ups and Downs of the Bald Eagle

The eagle is a bird of prey, belongs to the class of birds, the falcon order, the hawk family, the eagles subfamily, the eagles genus (lat. Aquila).

The origin of the word "eagle"

The Russian name for the feathered predator comes from the Old Slavic root “op”, meaning “light”, and is consonant with many European names: Greek “ornis”, Slovak “orol”, Polish “orzel”.

Some species of eagles add fish to their diet by submerging in the water when fishing. Do not neglect reptiles (,), insects and carrion.

The eagle obtains most of its food on the ground, but catches birds in flight. The bird of prey hovers above the ground for a long time and looks out for prey. Then the eagle hangs in the air, falls down like a stone, grabs the prey with powerful claws and carries it away.

Where do eagles live?

The distribution area of ​​eagles is quite wide, and the habitat depends on the species of bird. Nevertheless, all members of the family prefer to settle away from civilization and humans, choosing mountainous or semi-open landscapes.

For example, the golden eagle inhabiting the territory of Russia (in the north of the Caucasus and the south of Primorye) nests in a hard-to-reach forest zone, and its Australian relative, the wedge-tailed golden eagle, feels comfortable in the forests of New Guinea. Steppe eagles live in steppes and semi-desert zones, inhabiting them from Transbaikalia to the Black Sea coast. The burial eagle took a fancy to the forest-steppe of Ukraine, the Kazakh steppe regions, the forests of the Czech Republic, Spain and Romania. Eagles are found in Iran and China, in Hungary and Slovakia, in Greece and Germany.

What is the difference between an eagle and an eagle?

Despite belonging to the same hawk family, the eagle and the eagle differ, mainly in their way of life. The eagle inhabits mountainous, desert and wooded areas, the eagle chooses the shores of reservoirs for nesting, because it usually feeds on fish, animals and birds that live near the water. As for the external differences between the eagle and the eagle, they are also available:

• the legs of the eagles are very densely feathered, but the legs of the eagle in their lower part are devoid of such "chic" plumage;
• the beak of an eagle is more powerful and somewhat larger than that of an eagle;
• the tail of the eagle is wedge-shaped, and the tail of the eagle is rather narrow and short.

What is the difference between an eagle and a hawk?

• The most important difference between the eagle and is the size: the hawk is much smaller than the eagle.
• The wings of a hawk are short, slightly rounded and slightly bent, while the wings of an eagle are long, wide, and have a span of up to two and a half meters.
• The tail of the eagle is shortened, but the tail of the hawk is long.
• Another difference between these birds is the type of flight: the eagle soars for a long time, hovering in the air currents; for a hawk, soaring flight is not typical.

What is the difference between an eagle and a falcon?

• Unlike the eagle, it is more graceful and not so large in size. The weight of the falcon rarely exceeds 1 kg, while the weight of the eagle reaches 3-7 kg.
• The wingspan of the falcon is 1 meter, the wingspan of the eagle reaches 2.4 meters.
• The falcon's wings are not as wide as those of eagles, so the falcon is not as adept at hovering in updrafts.
• When it comes to lifestyle, there are differences between an eagle and a falcon. Falcons necessarily nest at a height, because to start the flight they need a push, while the eagles only need "acceleration", which allows them to make nests even on the ground.
• Orlov is interested in "land" food, they feed not only on birds, but also on mammals, rodents, fish and amphibians. The falcon is a born air hunter, and birds become its main prey.

What is the difference between an eagle and a kite?

• The kite has a short, crooked, but rather weak beak, while the eagle has a very powerful and durable beak.
• Like an eagle, a kite can easily and for a long time soar in the skies, but you can immediately distinguish these birds by the flight. The kite has seemingly overly long wings and an equally long fork-shaped tail. The eagle is much larger in size, its wings are wide, with feathers spread out along the edge and at the ends, the tail is shorter than that of a kite.
• Eagles are excellent hunters with excellent eyesight, agile and swift attack. Kites are somewhat phlegmatic and lazy: they do not differ in agility and speed, they often feed on what they take from other birds that have already been caught, not disdaining carrion.
• For nesting, the kite chooses tall, often solitary trees. It is not uncommon for a kite to occupy other people's nests. The eagle builds nests in woodlands and on sheer cliffs, as well as on the surface of the earth.

Breeding eagles

Sexual maturation of females and males occurs at the age of 4-6 years, even before the acquisition of an adult feather "plumage". Eagles choose their companion and remain faithful for many years. The mating season depends on the degree of sedentary life; in migratory species, it lasts from mid-winter to April.

Mating games of eagles are characterized by spectacular aerial figures with the participation of both members of the pair: chasing each other, wavy flight, sharp dive, and spiral rotation.

The nesting territory is closely guarded from other predators, and the eagle's nest itself settles high in the branches of trees, on rocky cornices and in niches. Sometimes eagles can choose geodetic towers and supports of high-voltage lines for nesting.

A pair of eagles can use the same nest for several seasons in a row, completing and renovating their home.

The clutch contains from 1 to 3 gray-white eggs with dark patches. Postponement occurs with a difference of 3-4 days.

The incubation of the clutch lasts 40-45 days, and the male sometimes replaces the female eagle.

Covered with gray-white down, the eagle chicks hatch in the same order as the eggs were laid. The first cub is more likely to survive by showing aggression towards siblings. At the same time, parents are completely indifferent to such behavior of the first offspring.

The female eagle feeds the helpless chicks, tearing the prey brought by the male into small pieces. On the 65-80 day, the mature chicks rise on the wing and fly out of the nest, although in the first year of life they rarely leave the nesting territory.

Types of eagles, names and photos

The hawk family includes 70 genera, which contain 14 subfamilies, but among them there are hawks, and eagles, and kites, and vultures, and buzzards. The modern classification includes 17 main types of eagles, which have their own distinctive features. Here is some of them:

• Golden eagle (lat. Aquila chrysaetos)

The largest eagle in the world, the weight of individual individuals can reach almost 7 kg. Body length 76-93 cm, wingspan 1.8 - 2.34 meters. A distinctive feature of the species is the rear edge of the wings, curved when hovering in the form of the Latin letter "S". Young eagles are distinguished by an almost black color of feathers with white, “signal” spots on the wings, which is a typical defense against the aggression of the older generation.

Golden eagles are common in the western part of the North American continent, in Central Mexico, Africa, Asia, in the mountainous regions of the European territory, on the Mediterranean islands. In Russia, they are found everywhere from the Amur region to Kamchatka.

• Hawk eagle (lat. Aquila fasciata, previously Hieraaetus fasciatus)

Differs in black-brown plumage of the back and white peritoneum with transverse stripes of dark color. The eagle weighs about 2.5 kg. The length of the wings is 46-55 cm, the body length of the eagle is from 65 to 75 cm.

The habitat of this species of eagles covers Southern Europe, the African continent (with the exception of the Sahara) and the Central Asian scrubland. In Europe, the species is practiced as a bird of prey.

• Stone eagle (lat. Aquila rapax)

Steppe and savannah inhabitant of Southwest Africa, Iran, northwest India. The body length is 60-72 cm. The wingspan of the eagle is 159-183 cm. The weight of the male reaches 2 kg, the weight of the females is from 1.6 to 2.5 kg.

This endangered species of eagles is listed in the Red Book of Russia. A cunning and insidious predator, stealing if possible and taking prey from gape birds. Outwardly, it is very similar to the steppe eagle.

• Steppe eagle (lat. Aquila nipalensis)

The feathers of adults are dark brown in color with a bright, rufous spot on the head. The body length of the eagle is 60-85 cm, the wingspan of the eagle reaches 220-230 cm. The weight of the eagle is from 2.7 kg to 4.8 kg.

A small species inhabiting the steppes of Central and Central Asia. The steppe eagle is listed in the Red Book of Russia and is found from Stavropol to the south of the Urals. Winters in Africa, India, the Arabian Peninsula.

• Burial ground (lat. Aquila heliaca)

A rare species, similar to the golden eagle, but with characteristic, white markings - epaulettes on the shoulders. One of the most vociferous species of the eagle, the cry of which can be heard at a distance of up to 1 km. The body length is 72-84 cm, the wingspan of the eagle reaches 180-215 cm. The weight of the bird of prey is 2.4-4.5 kg.

Breeds in the desert forest-steppe zones of Central Asia, India, Mongolia. In the European part of Russia, it is found in the Lipetsk region, in the vicinity of Tambov, Krasnoyarsk, Buryatia and Transbaikalia. Migrates to Israel, Iraq, Pakistan and the African continent.

• Eagle-dwarf (lat. Aquila pennata)

A medium-sized species weighing up to 1.3 kg and no more than 53 cm long, resembles buzzards in size and constitution. The wingspan of the dwarf eagle is only 100-132 cm. It differs from typical representatives of the genus in narrowed wings and a long tail.

Breeds in Libya, Egypt, Sudan, France, Greece, Turkey. In Russia, the eagle lives in the suburbs of Tula and Tambov, the Altai Territory and in Transbaikalia. The main population migrates to northern Africa and the Middle East.

• Silver eagle (lat. Aquila wahlbergi)

A bird of prey with a wingspan of 130 to 160 cm.The length of the bird reaches 55-60 cm.

Lives in African countries south of the Sahara Desert. It feeds on birds, mammals and reptiles. Viet nests in the trees.

• Kaffir eagle (lat. Aquila verreauxii)

The bird has a weight of 3.5-4.5 kg. The body length reaches 70-95 cm, the wingspan of the eagle is 2 meters. It feeds on small mammals and rodents.

The Kaffir eagle lives in Ethiopia and eastern Africa: Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and South Africa. Lives both on the hills and high in the mountains, among rocks, ravines and limestone outliers.

• Lesser spotted eagle (lat. Aquila pomarina)

The bird has a weight of 1.5-1.8 kg and a body length of 62 to 65 cm.

This species of eagles nests in 2 places on the territory of Russia (St. Petersburg, Novgorod, Moscow and Tula regions), in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, in Turkey. It lives in South Asian countries, and winters in the countries of East and South-East Africa. It feeds on small mammals and reptiles.

• Great spotted eagle (lat. Aquila clanga)

A bird with a body weight of 1.6-3.2 kg, while the body length reaches from 65 cm to 73 cm. This species is larger and darker than the lesser spotted eagle.

It nests in Eastern Europe, Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia. Winters in India, Iran, China, East African countries. The spotted eagle lives most often in mixed forests, on plains, near rivers, lakes and swamps. It feeds on small birds, rodents, reptiles and reptiles.

• Australian dwarf eagle (lat. Aquila morphnoides)

It is a small eagle that lives in Australia. The body length reaches 45-55 cm, the weight is 815 grams, the wingspan of the eagle is 120 cm.

Inhabits tropical and temperate forests, prefers open hilly areas to dense forest. It feeds on rodents (rabbits), birds, and insects and fish.

Russian name- Bald Eagle

Latin name- Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Detachment- falcon

Family- hawk

The bald eagle was recognized as the national bird of the United States in 1782, and since then its image flaunts on the state emblem, presidential standard, banknotes and other government papers and documents.

Conservation status

In the United States, the bald eagle has been protected since 1940. One of two existing subspecies, H.l. leucocephalus (called nominal), is included in the IUCN Red List.

View and person

Despite its "state" status and legislative protection, the number of the bald eagle in the 19th and 20th centuries. decreased sharply. The main reasons for this were mass extermination and human economic activity. The most dangerous for the eagle (as, indeed, for all other species of birds of prey) was the widespread use of DDT and other insecticides, which have a negative effect on breeding productivity (a large number of eggs laid by the eagles died during incubation). The ban on the use of insecticides has led to a gradual recovery in the number of bald eagles, and now its existence in nature is out of danger. The United States currently has laws prohibiting the killing or captivity of live bald eagles without special permission.

For most of the Indian tribes, the bald eagle was considered a sacred bird, an intermediary between earthly people and the heavenly Great Spirit - the creator of the universe. Myths and rituals were dedicated to him, clothes and hats were decorated with his feathers. Numerous images of the eagle can still be found on household utensils, dishes, baskets, as well as on totem (sacred) poles and burial grounds.

Spreading

The bald eagle is native to Canada, the United States and parts of northern Mexico. Its distribution is characterized by extreme unevenness, with the largest number of breeding pairs concentrated on the sea coasts and near large rivers and lakes.

Until the end of the twentieth century. The bald eagle was occasionally recorded in the Russian Far East, but these were always only occasional flights with no signs of nesting.

Eagle populations living on the sea or ocean coast are sedentary, while populations living along the shores of inland freezing water bodies make regular winter migrations.

Appearance

The bald eagle is one of the largest birds of prey in North America. The total length reaches 70-120 cm, the wingspan is 180-230 cm, and the weight is 3-6.3 kg. Females are about ¼ larger than males. Birds living in the northern part of the range are noticeably larger than those living to the south.

The beak is large, hook-shaped, golden-yellow in adult birds. The legs are also yellow, and the tarsus and toes are devoid of plumage. The toes are long, about 15 cm, with sharp claws. The eagle holds the victim with its front fingers, and kills it with the claw of its hind finger.

The color of adult birds looks contrasting and very impressive - a dark brown body and a pure white head. But eagles acquire such an outfit only at the age of 5, approaching adult plumage with each molt. Sexual dimorphism appears only in size.

Feeding and feeding behavior

Of all the available food, the bald eagle prefers fish, both live and dead. In second place in terms of importance are aquatic and near-water birds. With a shortage or inaccessibility of fish, birds can form the basis of food, and their content in the diet of eagles increases from 7-10% to 80%. The predation of eagles is most dangerous for bird colonies, where adult birds, chicks, and eggs become their easy prey. Among mammals, bald eagles can hunt medium-sized terrestrial animals, and in some places, baby seals. On average, the diet of a bald eagle consists of 56% fish, 28% birds, and 14% mammals.

Activity

Like most birds of prey, eagles are active during the day. (not without reason another name for falconifers is daytime birds of prey).

Vocalization

The voice of the bald eagle is surprisingly weak and low - either a high-pitched scream or a whistle. Young birds have a harsher and harsher voice. Adult eagles can most often be heard during the “changing of the guard” on the nest during incubation, as well as in places of mass concentration of birds in winter.

Social behavior

The social behavior of the bald eagle is not very complex and is similar to that of other species of eagle. Their pairs are constant, but outside the nesting period the birds lead a solitary way of life. The pair connects only during the nesting period.

During winter migrations, a certain number of eagles may gather in one place, but no strict hierarchy is observed between them.

Reproduction and parenting behavior

Bald eagles start their breeding season with amazingly beautiful demonstration flights of both birds, during which they chase each other, do deep dives in the air and turn upside down.

Then the couple settles in their nesting area. The area they protect around the nest is about 1-2 square meters. km, but it can be more or less depending on the number of neighboring pairs and the availability of available production.

Nest construction begins in different states of the United States at different times, from late September to January, but always earlier than other birds of prey in the area. The nest of bald eagles is built of large branches and twigs and is located in the crown of a tall living tree with the possibility of such large birds flying freely and no further than 1-2 km from the water. Among American ornithologists, there is an opinion that the nest of the bald eagle is the largest among all birds in North America: it can reach 2.5 m in diameter and 4 m in height, and weigh about 1 ton. Eagles fasten the main branch frame with grass, dry corn stalks or dry seaweed. Nest construction or renovation takes from several days to 3 months. Both parents participate in this work, but nevertheless, more often the male only brings building material, and the female lays it in the nest. In addition to the main nest, there may be several spare nests on the site of each pair.

Laying takes place 1-3 months after the start of nest construction. In clutch there are usually 2 large light-colored eggs (from 1 to 3), which are laid at intervals of 1 or 2 days. Incubation lasts about 35 days and starts with the first egg. The female incubates mainly, the male only occasionally replaces her. The chicks appear in the same sequence as the eggs were laid, so the second chick is 1 or 2 times younger than the first. This difference is quite enough for this younger and weaker chick to be constantly attacked by the older one and lack food. As a result of this competition for food, the youngest chick most often dies of hunger. It is noteworthy that the parents do not react in any way to this antagonistic relationship between the chicks.

During the first 5-6 weeks of the chicks' life, one of the parents is constantly in the nest (most often the female), and then the adults leave the nest and stay somewhere nearby. The chicks brought by them can already tear apart themselves. After 10-12 weeks, the chicks try to make their first flights, although not always successful ones. Even having already learned to fly, young eagles stay on their parents' grounds for quite a long time (several weeks).

Usually each pair grows no more than one chick.

Life span

In nature, bald eagles live up to 18-20 years, in captivity - more, up to about 36 years.

Life story at the Moscow Zoo

Now in our zoo, bald eagles are kept both at the exposition in the aviary "The Rock of Birds of Prey" in the Old Territory, and in the nursery, where the pair has been regularly breeding since 2010. There is only one female at the exposition so far.

The daily diet of bald eagles (like other 2 types of eagles) includes 700-800 g of meat, 200-800 g of fish (depending on the season) and 1 rat.

The Indians honor the bald eagle as a divine bird, calling it an intermediary between people and the Great Spirit who created the Universe. In his honor, legends are made and rituals are dedicated, depicting on helmets, poles, shields, clothes and dishes. The symbol of the Iroquois tribe is an eagle perched on a pine tree.

Appearance, description of the eagle

The world learned about the bald eagle in 1766 from the scientific work of Karl Linnaeus. The naturalist gave the bird the Latin name Falco leucocephalus, attributing it to the falcon family.

The French biologist Jules Savigny disagreed with the Swede, when in 1809 he included the bald eagle in the genus Haliaeetus, which had previously only consisted of the white-tailed eagle.

Now two subspecies of the eagle are known, differing exclusively in size. It is one of the most representative birds of prey in the vastness of North America: only the white-tailed eagle is larger than it.

Male bald eagles are noticeably smaller than their partners... Birds weigh from 3 to 6.5 kg, grow up to 0.7-1.2 m with a 2-meter (and sometimes more) span of wide rounded wings.

It is interesting! The legs of the eagle are devoid of feathers and are colored (like the hooked beak) in a golden yellow color.

It may seem that the bird is frowning: this effect is created by growths on the brows. The frightening look of the eagle is contrasted with its weak voice, which is manifested by a whistle or a high-pitched cry.

Strong fingers grow up to 15 cm, ending in sharp claws. The rear claw acts like an awl, piercing the victim's vital organs, while the front claws prevent it from escaping.

The eagle's feather vestment takes on a complete look after 5 years. At this age, the bird can already be distinguished by its white head and tail (wedge-shaped) against the general dark brown background of plumage.

Wildlife

A bald eagle cannot live far from water. A natural body of water (lake, river, estuary or sea) should be located 200-2000 meters away from the nesting site.

Habitat, geography

The eagle chooses coniferous forests or hard-leaved groves for nesting / resting, and deciding on a reservoir, proceeds from the "assortment" and the amount of game.

The range of the species extends to the USA and Canada, fragmentarily covering Mexico (northern states).

It is interesting! In June 1782, the bald eagle became the official emblem of the United States of America. Benjamin Franklin, who insisted on the choice of the bird, later regretted this, pointing out its "bad moral qualities." He meant the eagle's love for carrion and the tendency to wean prey from other predators.

Orlan is seen on the islands of Miquelon and Saint-Pierre, which belong to the French Republic. The nesting areas are "scattered" extremely unevenly: their concentrations are found on the sea coasts, as well as on the coastal zones of lakes and rivers.

Occasionally, bald eagles penetrate the US Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Ireland, Belize and Puerto Rico. Eagles have been spotted many times in our Far East..

Bald eagle lifestyle

The bald eagle is one of the rare feathered predators capable of creating massive concentrations. Hundreds and even thousands of eagles gather where there is a lot of food: close to hydroelectric power plants or in areas of mass cattle mortality.

When the reservoir freezes, birds leave it, rushing to the south, including to the warm sea shores. Adult eagles can stay in their native land if the coastal area is not covered with ice, which allows them to fish.

It is interesting! In its natural environment, the bald eagle lives from 15 to 20 years. It is known that one eagle (ringed in childhood) lived to almost 33 years. In favorable artificial conditions, for example, in open-air cages, these birds live for more than 40 years.

Diet, nutrition

The menu of the bald eagle is dominated by fish and much less often by medium-sized game. He does not hesitate to select the prey of other predators and does not disdain carrion.

As a result of research, it turned out that the diet of an eagle looks like this:

• Fish - 56%.
• Bird - 28%.
• Mammals - 14%.
• Other animals - 2%.

The last position is represented by reptiles, primarily turtles..

On the islands of the Pacific Ocean, sea eagles pursue sea otters, as well as seal and sea lion cubs. The birds prey on muskrats, rabbits, ground squirrels, barnacles, hares, squirrels, rats and young beavers. It costs nothing for an eagle to pick up a small sheep or other domestic animal.

The feathered eagle prefers to take it by surprise on land or water, but it can catch it on the fly. So, the predator flies up to the goose from below and, turning over, clings to the chest with its claws. In pursuit of a hare or a heron, the eagles form a temporary alliance, in which one of them distracts the object, and the other attacks from the rear.

The bird hunts down fish, its main prey, in shallow water: like an osprey, the eagle looks out for its prey from a height and dives at it at a speed of 120–160 km / h, capturing it with tenacious claws. At the same time, the hunter tries not to wet his feathers, but this does not always work out. The eagle eats both freshly caught and sacked fish.

By winter, when the reservoirs freeze, the share of falling in the bird menu increases significantly. Eagles circle around the carcasses of large and medium-sized mammals, such as:

• reindeer;
• moose;
• bison;
• wolves;
• rams;
• cows;
• Arctic foxes and others.

Smaller scavengers (foxes and coyotes) cannot compete with adult eagles in the fight for corpses, but they are able to drive away the unmatched ones.

Young eagles find another way out - not being able to hunt live game, they not only take prey from small birds of prey (hawks, crows and seagulls), but also kill the robbed.

The bald eagle does not hesitate to pick up food waste in landfills or leftover food near campgrounds.

The main enemies of the bird

If you do not take into account humans, the list of natural enemies of the eagle should include the Virginia eagle owl and the striped raccoon: these animals do not harm adults, but threaten the offspring of eagles, destroying eggs and chicks.

The danger also comes from Arctic foxes, but only if the nest is arranged on the surface of the earth.... Crows can disturb the eagles during the incubation of their chicks, without going so far as to ruin the nests themselves.

It is interesting! The Indians made whistles for warriors and tools for driving out ailments from the bones of an eagle, and jewelry and amulets from bird's claws. An Ojibwe Indian could receive a feather for special services such as scalping or capturing an enemy. Feathers, personifying glory and power, were kept in the tribe, passing by inheritance.

Bald eagle breeding

Birds enter fertile age no earlier than four, sometimes six to seven years. Like many hawks, bald eagles are monogamous. Their union breaks up only in two cases: if there are no children in the pair or one of the birds does not return from the south.

A marriage is deemed to be sealed when the eagles begin to build a nest - a large-scale structure of twigs and twigs placed on top of a tall tree.

This structure (weighing a ton) is larger than the nest of all North American birds, reaching 4 m in height and 2.5 m in diameter. The construction of the nest, which is carried out by both parents, lasts from a week to 3 months, but the branches are usually laid by the partner.

At the right time (with an interval of one or two days), she lays 1-3 eggs, less often four. If the clutch is destroyed, eggs are re-laid. Incubation, assigned mainly to the female, takes 35 days. It is only occasionally replaced by a partner whose task is to find food.

The chicks have to fight for food: it is not surprising that the younger ones die. When the chicks are 5-6 weeks old, the parents fly away from the nest, following the children from the nearest branch. At this age, babies already know how to jump from branch to branch and tear meat into pieces, and after 10-12.5 weeks they start flying.

Number, population

Before the exploration of North America by Europeans, 250-500 thousand bald eagles lived here (according to ornithologists). The settlers not only changed the landscape, but also shamelessly shot birds, seduced by their beautiful plumage.

The emergence of new settlements led to a decrease in the water reserves where the eagles fished. Farmers killed eagles on purpose, avenging them for stealing domestic sheep / chickens, and for fish that the villagers did not want to share with the birds.

Thallium sulfate and strychnine were also used: they were sprinkled on the carcasses of cattle, protecting them from wolves, eagles and coyotes. The population of sea eagles has declined so much that in the United States the bird has almost disappeared, remaining only in Alaska.

It is interesting! In 1940, Franklin Roosevelt was forced to issue the Bald Eagle Conservation Act. When the Second World War ended, the number of the species was estimated at 50 thousand individuals.

A new attack awaited the Eagles, the poisonous chemical DDT, which was used in the battle with harmful insects. The drug did not harm adult eagles, but did affect the eggshells, which cracked during incubation.

Thanks to DDT, there were only 487 bird pairs in the United States by 1963. After the ban of the insecticide, the population began to recover. Now the bald eagle (according to the International Red Data Book) is classified as a species of minimal concern.

In Russia, these birds are often called sea eagles, due to their attachment to coasts and water basins. It is here that the white-tailed eagle finds its main prey, fish.

Description of the white-tailed eagle

Haliaeetus albicilla (white-tailed eagle) belongs to the genus of sea eagles, included in the hawk family. The appearance and behavior of the white-tailed eagle (known as grayish in Ukraine) very much resembles its American relative Haliaeetus leucocephalus,. For some ornithologists, the similarity of the two species served as the basis for their unification into one superspecies.

Appearance

A large bird of prey of massive constitution with strong legs, whose paws (unlike the golden eagle, with whom the white-tailed eagle is constantly compared) are not covered with feathers up to the toes. The paws are armed with sharp curved claws for capturing and holding game, which the bird ruthlessly tears apart with a strong hook-shaped beak. An adult white-tailed eagle grows to 0.7–1 m with a weight of 5–7 kg and a wingspan of 2–2.5 m. It got its name from the wedge-shaped short tail, painted white and contrasting with the general brown background of the body.

It is interesting! Young birds are always darker than adults, have a dark gray beak, dark irises and tails, longitudinal spots on the belly and a marble pattern on the top of the tail. With each molt, the young more and more resemble older relatives, acquiring an adult appearance after puberty, which happens no earlier than 5 years, and sometimes even later.

The brown plumage of the wings and body brightens somewhat towards the head, acquiring a yellowish or whitish tint. Orlana is sometimes called golden-eyed because of its piercing amber-yellow eyes. The legs, like the powerful beak, are also colored light yellow.

Lifestyle, behavior

The white-tailed eagle is recognized as the fourth largest avian predator in Europe, leaving only the griffon vulture, bearded vulture and black vulture ahead. Eagles are monogamous and, creating a pair, for decades occupy one area with a radius of up to 25–80 km, where they build solid nests, hunt and drive away their fellow tribesmen. White-tailed eagles also do not stand on ceremony with their own chicks, sending them from their father's house as soon as they get up on the wing.

Important! According to Buturlin's observations, eagles are generally similar to eagles and bear little resemblance to golden eagles, but rather external than internal: their habits and lifestyle differ. The eagle is related to the golden eagle not only by naked tarsus (they are feathered in the eagle), but also by a special roughness on the inner surface of the fingers, which helps to keep slippery prey.

Observing the water surface, the white-tailed eagle looks out for a fish in order to quickly dive on it and, as if to pick it up with its feet. If the fish is deep, the predator goes under water for a moment, but not enough to lose control and die.

The stories that large fish are capable of pulling the eagle under water are, in Buturlin's opinion, an idle fiction. There are fishermen who claim that they saw the claws of an eagle that have grown into the back of the sturgeon caught.

This, of course, is impossible - the bird at any time is free to loosen its grip, release the sturgeon and take off. The flight of an eagle is not as spectacular and impetuous as that of an eagle or a falcon. Against their background, the eagle looks much heavier, differing from the eagle in straight and more blunt, practically without bending, wings.

The white-tailed eagle often uses its wide wings, spread horizontally, for energy-saving soaring, with the help of ascending air currents. Sitting on the branches, the eagle most of all resembles a vulture with its characteristic lowered head and tousled plumage. If you believe the famous Soviet scientist Boris Veprintsev, who has collected a solid library of bird voices, the white-tailed eagle is characterized by a high scream "kli-kli-kli ..." or "kyak-kyak-kyak ...". The worried eagle switches to short screams reminiscent of a metallic creak, something like "kick-kick ..." or "kick-kick ...".

How long does the white-tailed eagle live?

In captivity, birds live much longer than in the wild, living up to 40 years or more. The white-tailed eagle lives in its natural environment for 25–27 years.

Sexual dimorphism

Females and males differ not so much in plumage color as in size: females are visually larger and heavier than males. If the latter weigh 5–5.5 kg, the former gain up to 7 kg of mass.

Habitat, habitats

If you look at the Eurasian range of the white-tailed eagle, it stretches from Scandinavia and Denmark to the Elbe valley, captures the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, goes from the Balkan Peninsula to the Anadyr basin and Kamchatka, spreading to the Pacific coast of East Asia.

In its northern part, the range runs along the coast of Norway (up to the 70th parallel), along the north of the Kola Peninsula, south of the Kanin and Timan tundra, along the southern sector of Yamal, going further to the Gydan Peninsula up to the 70th parallel, then to the mouths of the Yenisei and Pyasina (on Taimyr), wedging between the Khatanga and Lena valleys (up to the 73rd parallel) and ending near the southern slope of the Chukotka ridge.

In addition, the white-tailed eagle is found in the regions located to the south:

• Asia Minor and Greece;
• northern Iraq and Iran;
• the lower reaches of the Amu Darya;
• the lower reaches of the Alakol, Ili and Zaisan;
• northeastern China;
• northern Mongolia;
• Korean Peninsula.

The white-tailed eagle also lives on the western coast of Greenland up to Disko Bay. The bird nests on islands such as the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, Oland, Iceland and Hokkaido. Bird watchers suggest that populations of sea eagles live on the islands of Novaya Zemlya and Vaygach. Previously, the eagle actively nested in the Faroe and British Isles, Sardinia and Corsica. For wintering, the white-tailed eagle chooses European countries, the east of China and Southwest Asia.

It is interesting! In the north, the eagle behaves like a typical migratory bird, in the southern and middle zones - like a sedentary or nomadic. Young eagles living in the middle lane usually head south in winter, while old ones are not afraid to hibernate in non-freezing water bodies.

In our country, the white-tailed eagle is found everywhere, but the highest population density is noted in the Azov, Caspian and Baikal regions, where the bird is seen most often. White-tailed eagles nest mainly near large bodies of water inside the mainland and sea coasts, which provide birds with an abundant food supply.

White-tailed eagle diet

The eagle's favorite dish is fish (no heavier than 3 kg), which occupies the main place in its diet. But the predator's food interests are not limited only to fish: he enjoys feasting on forest game (land and birds), and in winter he often switches to carrion.

The diet of the white-tailed eagle includes:

• waterfowl, including ducks, loons and geese;
• (bobaki);
• mole rats;

The eagle changes hunting tactics depending on the type and size of the pursued object. He overtakes the prey in flight or dives at it from above, looking out from the air, and also watches over, sitting on the perch, or simply takes it away from a weaker predator.

In the steppe area, eagles lie in wait for bobaks, mole rats and gophers at their burrows, and they grab fast mammals, such as hares, in flight. It uses a different technique for waterfowl (including large, eider-sized ducks), forcing them to dive in fear.

Important! Usually sick, weak or old animals become victims of eagles. White-tailed eagles free water bodies from fish that have been frozen, lost and infected with worms. All this, plus eating carrion, allows us to consider birds as real natural orderlies.

Bird watchers are confident that white-tailed eagles maintain the biological balance of their biotopes.

Reproduction and offspring

White-tailed eagle is a supporter of conservative mating principles, due to which he chooses a partner for the rest of his life... A couple of eagles fly away together for the winter, and in the same composition, approximately in March – April, they return home to their native nest.

The eagle's nest is akin to a family estate - birds live in it for decades (with winter breaks), build and restore as needed. Predators nest on river and lake shores overgrown with trees (for example, oaks, birches, pines or willows) or directly on rocks and river cliffs, where there is no suitable vegetation for nesting.

Eagles build a nest from thick branches, lining the bottom with pieces of bark, branches, grass, feathers and set it on a massive branch or fork. The main condition is to place the nest as high as possible (15–25 m from the ground) from ground predators encroaching on it.

It is interesting! A new nest is rarely more than 1 m in diameter, but every year it gains weight, height and width until it doubles: such buildings often fall down, and the eagles have to build their nests again.

The female lays two (rarely 1 or 3) white eggs, sometimes with buffy specks. Each egg is 7–7.8 cm * 5.7–6.2 cm in size. Incubation lasts about 5 weeks, and chicks hatch in May, which need parental care for almost 3 months. At the beginning of August, the brood begins to fly, and already from the second half of September and in October, the young leave the parental nests.

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a large bird of prey native to the United States, Canada and Mexico. It is considered one of the largest predators of the hawk family. The body length of an adult bird is about 71-96 centimeters, the wingspan is about 168-224 centimeters. An adult bald eagle can be easily distinguished by its white head and tail and brown body. The wings are wide, rounded. The tail is wedge-shaped. Paws are yellow, half covered with feathers, with strong short toes and long (about 5 cm) claws. The claw of the hind toe is well developed, which allows the bird to stick it in the victim, while the front toe is holding it.

Bald eagles are professional anglers. Their huge hooked claws and powerful legs are capable of holding the slippery fish, and their strong wings help them carry a lot of weight. The favorite food of bald eagles is fish, but they often feed on other birds such as ducks and muskrats. They are also not averse to feasting on carrion, and can take prey from other birds of prey. The eagle's sharp beak helps it to easily tear prey to pieces.

Bald eagles build bowl-shaped nests on top of a tall tree with a good view around, close to open water. The average height at which the nest is located is 20 meters and more, while the width often exceeds 1.5 meters and a depth of about one meter. If there are no trees in the nesting area, in this case the pair settles on the edge of a cliff or on the ground, but in a place that is difficult for predators to reach. As a building material
bald eagles use large tree branches and dry leaves.

Usually, bald eagles have constant pairs, they hatch their chicks in the same nests from year to year. The chicks that appear are covered with down and helpless; for the first two to three weeks, one of the parents is constantly in the nest - this is mainly done by the female, while the male is engaged in foraging. Chicks compete with each other for access to food, and often the younger ones die of hunger. At the age of about six weeks, they learn to tear apart pieces of food and jump from branch to branch, and after 9-14 weeks they make their first flight. Having learned to fly, the chicks spend time close to their parents for another 2-10 weeks, after which they dissipate. Bald eagles usually live up to thirty years, in conditions of keeping in open-air cages they can live 36 years or more.

The bald eagle is one of the national symbols of the United States. In the first half of the 20th century, the population of the bald eagle was low, but in recent years the threat of extinction of the bald eagle has passed.