Just the Facts

Impress your friends with these shocking bald eagle facts!

You might know that the bald eagle is the emblem of the United States, but here's some astonishing things you might not know...

• Only 10% of bald eagles survive until adulthood.


• One bald eagle's nest in Ohio weighed 2 tons when it crashed to the ground after 35 years of use!


• Founding Father Benjamin Franklin wanted the U.S. national bird to be the turkey, not the bald eagle.


• When mature, both male and female bald eagles have white heads.


• Female eagles are typically larger than their male counterparts.


• In 1916, the United States and Canada signed the Migratory Bird Treaty-the first bird protection treaty in North America.


• Bald eagles return to the same nest year after year, adding to it each season. The nest can weigh up to 2 tons!


• An adult bald eagle can eat 1 pound of fish in 4 minutes.


• Bald eagles may live to be 30 years old.