2 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



BALD EAGLE, 



A. O. I'. No. 353. (Haliaeetus leiioocephalus.) 



RANGE. 



Distributed rather locally throughout the whole of North America. 



It breeds throughout its range, and in the winter migrates southwards, 

 especially from the northern portions of its range. 

 DESCRIPTION. 



Length, about 3 feet; extent, from 6 to 8 feet; tail, about 1 foot. 

 Adults: — The female is generally larger than the male. Eye, bill and 

 feet, yellow. Head and tail, white. The remainder of the upper and 

 tinder parts, together with the wings, are dark brown. This plumage is 

 acquired during their third year. Young (1st year): — Eye and bill, 

 brown. Feet, Yellow. Color, a uniform dark brown all over. (2nd 

 year): — Uniform brown, with the feathers edged with lighter and feath- 

 ers about the rump and base of neck light in places. 

 NEST AND EGGS. 



The Bald Eagle nest in the tops of the tallest trees. The nest is nat- 

 urally a very large structure composed of large sticks and lined with 

 roots. As the birds use the same nest year after year, andrepair it each 

 time, it becomes an enormous structure, often six or seven feet across. 



EGG OF BALD EAGLE. 



On rocky coasts where suitable trees are scarce, they will build their nests 

 upon the high cliffs. Tn Florida they commence nesting early in Janu- 

 ary, and the period varies from that time until the latter part of April in 

 the northern parts of its range. The eggs are commonly two in num- 

 ber, sometimes three. They have a granulated surface and are white 

 in color, although nearly always they are somewhat nest stained. 



