11/18/2023 0 Comments Bald eagle islandThe bald eagle prefers old-growth and mature stands of coniferous or hardwood trees for perching, roosting, and nesting. The bald eagle explores sea coasts and other large bodies of open water with an abundance of fish as well as rivers,large lakes, and mountainous open country. Bald eagles have also been reintroduced on Santa Catalina Island In an innovative reintroduction program conducted 20, sixty-one young bald eagles were released on the northern Channel Islands. Due to the persecution by humans and the effects of organochlorine chemicals such as DDT, breeding bald eagles were eliminated by the mid-1950's. Bald eagles are generally highly territorial, and in the past this behavior may have prevented golden eagles from colonizing the islands. For example, bald eagles were once the top marine aerial predator and probably fed upon a variety of seabirds and fish. Breeding bald eagles provided important ecosystem functions in the northern Channel Islands. Historical records indicate that in the early 20th century bald eagles bred on all islands within the park, with at least two dozen nesting pairs over the 8 Channel Islands. Northern eagles are migratory,while southern birds are resident, remaining on their breeding territory all year. ![]() It presently occupies historical habitats from the bayous of Louisiana to the Sonoran Desert and the eastern deciduous forests of Quebec and New England. At minimum population, in the 1950s, it was largely restricted to Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, northern and eastern Canada, and Florida. It is the only sea eagle endemic to North America. The bald eagle's natural range covers most of North America, including most of Canada, all of the continental United States, and northern Mexico. The beak is large and hooked, with a yellow cere. The highly developed talon of the hind toe is used to pierce the vital areas of prey while it is held immobile by the front toes. The legs are feather-free, and the toes are short and powerful with large talons. The beak, feet, and irises are bright yellow. ![]() Males and females are identical in plumage coloration, but reversed sexual dimorphism, which occurs in many raptors, is evident in the species in that females are 25 percent larger than males. The tail is moderately long and slightly wedge-shaped. The plumage of an adult bald eagle is evenly brown with a white head and tail.
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