Secret Life of Eagles

Recognized by its white head, brown body, and hooked yellow beak, the bald eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782. Unlike my amazing black beauties—crows and ravens—most people adore eagles. Perhaps it’s their mysticism and majestic nature.

I will never forget an encounter I had with a bald eagle.

On a return trip from running errands, Bob and I witnessed the most beautiful lavender sky. About two or three feet above our vehicle a bald eagle flapped its impressive wings in what felt like slow motion. Whoosh . . . whoosh . . . whoosh. And he stayed with us for over a mile as I gawked in awe, examining each dark brown feather tucked in line with the next, row after row. Flawless.

This experience affected me so much, I replotted Wings of Mayhem to include these magnificent birds. So when I stumbled across the story of an eagle’s painful transformation a few years ago, I was stunned. Then dumbfounded. If true, why hadn’t I found this in my research?

The inspirational story reads as follows:

The eagle has the longest lifespan among birds. It can live up to 70 years. But to reach this age, the eagle must make a hard decision. In its 40’s its long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey which serves as food. Its long and sharp beak becomes bent. Its old-aged and heavy wings, due to their thick feathers, become stuck to its chest and make it difficult to fly.

The eagle is left with only two options: die or go through a painful process of change which lasts 150 days. The process requires that the eagle fly to a mountaintop and sit on its nest. There the eagle knocks its beak against a rock until it plucks it out. Afterward, the eagle will wait for a new beak to grow back, and then it will pluck out its talons. When its new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its old-aged feathers. And after five months, the eagle takes it famous flight of rebirth and lives for 30 more years.

It’s an awe-inspiring story, but that’s all it is, folks — a story. Sorry! Why these videos go viral isn’t difficult to determine. Humans relate to a rebirth, to letting go of baggage and moving forward, to personal growth, and to wanting to slow the aging process. How cool would it be if we could slip into a new body in our 40s?

But the video’s creator underestimated bald eagles. Like most wildlife, they’re already amazing. Let’s venture back to reality . . .

The Truth About Bald Eagles

Bald eagles are huge with a 6-8 foot wingspan and a body that stands 2-3 feet tall. Think about that wingspan for a moment. An average ceiling hovers eight feet above the floor. If you brought an adult eagle into your home, those magnificent wings would take up the entire space from floor to ceiling. Amazing, right?

Unlike many birds, female bald eagles are larger than males. Weight varies depending on latitude and gender. Generally, males weigh approximately 25% less than females from the same area. The average weight of a female bald eagle is 10-14 pounds, however, great variation exist, depending on where an eagle lives. Southern bald eagles tend to be smaller than those in northern parts of their range. In Alaska, females might weigh up to 18 pounds, whereas eagles in Florida can weigh as little as 6-8 pounds. This difference in size between males and females is referred to as reverse sexual dimorphism.

Golden eagles weigh between 6-15 pounds. The average weight of a female golden eagle is 10-14 pounds, with males weighing 25% less.

Protected Species

Once listed as endangered in 1976, the bald eagle recovered at the end of the 1900s. In 1995, the bald eagle was listed as “threatened.” And in 2007, these incredible animals leaped off the lists altogether.

Today, all eagles are protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, passed by Congress in 1940. They’re also protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which protects more than 800 species of birds in North America. Feathers and parts of all migratory birds are protected and are illegal to possess without a permit. The federal Lacey Act also prohibits trade in wildlife, fish, and plants from being transported or sold. The Lacey Act is one more layer of protection for eagles and parts thereof.

Can an Eagle Feather Send You to Jail?

Yes! Only individuals and organizations with a permit from the United States government can legally possess any part of an eagle. Enrolled members of Native American tribes can apply for a permit to receive feathers from the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Eagle Repository in Colorado. Most “eagle” feathers you find for sale are turkey feathers painted to look like eagle feathers.

Fun fact: Eagles have over 7,000 feathers!

Obviously, bald eagles are not bald.

The name stems from the old English word “balde,” meaning white. Makes sense now, right? Fledglings have speckled white feathers mixed with a stunning, rich brown. It takes four to five years for fledglings to earn their adult plumage.

Alaska homes the country’s largest bald eagles, with some pushing the scales to a whopping 17 pounds. In contrast to the fictional rebirth, bald eagles live about 20 to 30 years in the wild. The oldest wild bald eagle lived to 32. In captivity, eagles can live much longer, 40+ and up to 50 years, due to a controlled environment, nutrient rich diet, and veterinary care.

Nesting Eagles

Bald eagles build the largest nest — called eyries (AIR-ees) — of any North American bird. The mating pair will return to the same territory year after year and add sticks to their old nest until it reaches 8-9 feet wide, 13 feet deep, and can weigh up to 2,000 pounds! Bald eagles nest at the pinnacle of the tallest tree near a lake or river.

Golden eagles usually nest on cliffs or in trees in open or semi-open habitat. They avoid heavily forested and developed areas but have been observed nesting on human-made structures such as observation towers or windmills. Golden eagle nests, while large, are generally smaller and flatter than bald eagle nests.

An eagle’s incredible eyesight allows them to see fish up to a mile away.

Eagles use both monocular and binocular vision. Meaning, they can use their eyes independently or together, depending on what they are looking at. An eagle eye has two focal points — called “fovea” (singular) or “foveae” (plural) — one of which looks forward and the other to the side at about a 45-degree angle. These two foveae allow eagles to see straight ahead and to the side simultaneously. The fovea at 45 degrees is used to view things at long distances. An eagle can see a rabbit-sized animal from three miles away.

Feeding Eagles

Bald eagles tend to be opportunistic feeders. Considered both predators and scavengers, the bald eagle will swoop down, powerful talons thrust forward to snatch prey from the water or land.

via GIPHY

Golden eagles are terrestrial predators that feed on mammals, birds, and reptiles. They’ve been known to take prey as large as pronghorn or white-tailed deer. Common prey for golden eagles in the Midwest are squirrels, rabbits, and wild turkeys.

Breeding Eagles

Bald eagles do not start breeding until they reach maturity. Once they find a suitable mate, the two birds pair for life. The female lays two eggs, at the end of February or the first of March. Both parents incubate the eggs for 34 to 36 days. For the first two weeks after the arrival of hatchlings, one parent stays with the young round the clock while the other hunts and delivers food to the nest.

Once the parents leave the eaglets alone, a heartbreaking scene unfolds.

The stronger eaglet will kill its weaker sibling, if food is in short supply. The same holds true for golden eagles, with most young dying of siblicide. If the parents fly back early, they’ll perch in a nearby tree. Helpless. All they can do is watch the murder unfold. The cruel reality is, it’s easier to raise one healthy eaglet than two. Still, it can’t be easy for Mr. and Mrs. Eagle. Or maybe I’m unfairly imposing my human emotions on the situation. After all, nature lives by survival of the fittest.

Fledglings learn to fly at three months old, and their maiden flight is an amazing event. Picture, if you will, the bravery it takes to leap out of a nest for the first time. Failure equals death.

Eagle Feet

Bald eagles and other cold weather birds have special circulation in their feet and legs that allow them to withstand very cold temperatures. A complex set of arteries and veins in the leg ensure that most of the heat is exchanged before it reaches the exposed legs and feet. This counter-current heat exchange helps to ensure that a minimal amount of heat is lost through blood flowing to the legs and feet.

Bird legs and feet also have little soft tissue, so they don’t require as much warm blood flow. When they need a quick warm up, they tuck one foot up against their body, underneath all those warm down feathers.

Eagle Migration

Eagles monitored with tracking devices have been known to fly 50-125 miles in a single day during migration, depending on the weather conditions and wind currents. Interestingly, some data suggests that mating pairs may not always migrate together. Rather, they’ll return to the nest and territory that they have used successfully in previous years when it’s time to mate again. Juvenile bald and golden eagles migrate prior to the adults departing.

An adult bald eagle can fly 30 mph and dive at speeds up to 100 mph! Golden eagles can dive at speeds up to 150 mph!

See, who needs some crazy story when the truth is so much more fascinating?

This next video might be the best thing you’ll see all day. Enjoy!

Take a look around the new digs!

You may have noticed Murder Blog has a new look. My old theme was in dire need of an upgrade. The main menu in the top bar allows users to easily navigate to my website, Murder Blog, books page, and appearance page. Mobile device users should find this theme more responsive and adaptive than the old one.

To the left of the main menu, you’ll find three horizontal lines. This sub-menu lists clickable links to read excerpts of all my books, the About Me page, Appearances, and privacy policy.

The coolest feature reduces eye strain.

If you follow the main menu all the way to the right, you’ll find a moon icon. When clicked, the site changes from day to night, light to dark. The theme automatically adjusts and remembers your preference. Dark Mode reduces eye strain. You can easily switch back to light by clicking the sun icon that replaced the moon. The Crime Writer’s Resource page still lives in the highest lefthand corner for easy access.

Now, how ’bout them eagles? Pretty impressive animals, right?