201 



BALD EAGLE. 



Haliaeetus leucocephalus. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Tarsi feathered only about half way down. 



Male.— 'Length about 3 I'tt-t: extent of vinirs about 7 feet. 

 Female larger, measuring sometimes 8 feet in extent. 



Adult.— Head, neck, tail and upper coverts of latter, white: 

 re<5t of plumage dusky-brown; bill, feet and eyes yellow. 



Immature.— Kntire plumage dark brown: some are grayish- 

 hrown. and tail more or less spotted with white; bill dark- 

 coir.red ; eyes brown. 



Sabitat.— North America at large, south to Mexico. Breeds 

 sparingly in Pennsylvania. 



The name "Bald" which is ^iven to this species is 

 not applied because the head is bare, but because the 

 feathers of the neck and head in the adults are pure 

 white. In Pennsylvania, as well as throughout the 

 United States, we have but two species of eagles. 

 The "Black," Gray" and "Washington" Eagles are all 

 young of the Bald Eagle. Three years, it is stated, 

 are required before this species assumes the adult 

 plumage. 



The Bald Eagle is found in Pennsylvania at all sea- 

 sons of the year. 



THE NEST AND EGGS. 



A few of these birds annually rear their young along 

 the Susquehanna river, and also in a few other locali- 

 ties in this State. The nest, a bulkv affair, built usually 

 on a large tree, mostly near the water, is about four or 

 five feet in diametc^r. It is made up chiefly of large 

 sticks, lined inside with grasses, leaves, etc. The eggs 

 commonly two — rarely three — are white and measure 

 about 3 b.v 2^ inches. A favorite article of foo>d with 

 this bird is fish, which he obtains, chicliy by strat<^gy 

 and rapine. 

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