OUR NATIONAL BIRD, THE BALD EAGLE, IS THE ONLY EAGLE SOLELY NATIVE TO
NORTH AMERICA. A FULLY-GROWN BIRD MAY HAVE A WINGSPAN OF 6 TO 8 FEET. THE IMMATURE BIRDS ARE BROWN WITH WHITISH TAILS AND WING LININGS.
THE PURE WHITE HEAD AND TAIL PLUMAGE APPEAR WHEN THE BIRDS ARE FOUR TO FIVE YEARS OLD. THE NUMBER OF BIRDS DECLINED DURING THE USE OF
THE PESTICIDE DDT WHICH ACCUMULATED IN THE BIRD'S TISSUE AND WEAKENED THE SHELLS OF THEIR EGGS. BY THE EARLY 1960s, THE NUMBER OF
NESTING PAIRS IN THE COUNTERMINOUS UNITED STATES HAD DROPPED TO FEWER THAN 450 NESTING PAIRS. SINCE THE BANNING OF DDT, THE BIRDS ARE
MAKING A COMEBACK. OUR BALD EAGLES CAN BE SEEN SWOOPING OVER MOORINGS BAY SEARCHING FOR FISH WHICH THEY PLUCK OUT OF THE WATER WITH
THEIR TALONS, OR ROOSTING ON THE TOPS OF NEARBY BUILDINGS. THEY BUILD LARGE NESTS OF TANGLED STICKS ATOP TALL PINE TREES THAT CAN BE
SEEN ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF MOORINGS BAY. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ONE OF THEIR NESTS LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF HARBOUR DRIVE,CLICK HERE
FOR A MAP SHOWING THE LOCATION. GO TO 2790 LEEWARD LN. AND LOOK
AT THE TOP OF A PINE TREE TOWARD THE EAST BEHIND THE HOUSE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EAGLES, HERE IS AN INTERESTING WEB SITE. CLICK HERE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE A GREAT POWER POINT PRESENTATION ON THE REBIRTH OF AN EAGLE, CLICK HERE. Photos courtsey of Buckley, Larson, Teague and Ten Eyck 
 
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