The Bald Eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782 and a spiritual symbol for native people for far longer than that. These regal birds aren’t really bald, but their white-feathered heads gleam in contrast to their chocolate-brown body and wings. While majestic in appearance, they are not always so majestic in habits: they often feed on carrion, including dead fish washed up on shore, and they steal food from Ospreys and other smaller birds. Look for them soaring in solitude, chasing other birds for their food, or gathering by the hundreds in winter. Once endangered by hunting and pesticides, Bald Eagles have flourished under protection.

Compiled using information from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society.

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