Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
Adult
- Very large raptor with long, broad wings
- White head and tail unmistakeable
- Powerful yellow bill
- © Laura Erickson, MN, Duluth, May 2011
Bald Eagle
Adult
- Large, barrel-chested raptor
- Dark brown throughout with white head and tail
- Heavy yellow bill
- © Raymond Lee, AB, Edmonton, January 2011
Bald Eagle
Adult
- Very large and heavy-bodied raptor
- Mostly dark brown
- White head and tail
- Heavy yellow bill
- © Raymond Lee, AB, Edmonton, January 2011
Bald Eagle
Adults feeding chick
- Adults with white heads and yellow eyes
- Chick mostly dark brown with dark eye
- © Bill Majoros, NC, August 2009
Bald Eagle
Juvenile in nest
- Very large and heavy-bodied raptor
- Solid dark brown overall
- Thick black bill
- © CleberBirds, FL, Orlando, March 2011
Bald Eagle
Juvenile
- Very large raptor with broad, straight-edged wings
- Mostly dark brown overall
- White mottling on underside of wings
- Heavy black bill
- © Michael J. Andersen, MO, Harry S. Truman Reservoir, Benton County, January 2010
Bald Eagle
Juvenile
- Heavy-bodied with broad, straight-edged wings
- Large head with thick black bill
- Mostly dark brown
- White mottling on underside of wings
- © Roger P. Kirchen, AB, Fort Saskatchewan, July 2011
Bald Eagle
Juvenile
- Very large, heavy-bodied raptor
- Large head
- Mostly dark brown overall
- Heavy black bill
- © Raymond Lee, AB, Strathcona County, July 2011
Bald Eagle
Second year
- Very large, heavy-set raptor
- Large head with thick black bill
- Dark brown with extensive white mottling on belly and wings
- Frosty white streaks on crown
- © Robinsegg, UT, Farmington Bay, January 2008
Bald Eagle
Second year
- Very large and broad-winged
- Thick yellow bill is black at tip
- Dark brown above
- Extensive white mottling on belly and underwings
- © Raymond Lee, AB, Edmonton, June 2011
Bald Eagle
Third year
- Very large raptor with broad, plank-like wings
- Large head mostly whitish with dark stripe through eye
- Dark brown with white mottling on belly and underwings
- Pale yellow eye and bright yellow feet
- © Raymond Lee, AB, Parkhills, February 2010
Bald Eagle
Fourth year
- Large and heavy-bodied
- Similar to adult but with some dark smudging on white head
- Heavy yellow bill
- © Greg Bishop, FL, Merritt Island NWR, October 2008
Similar Species
Adult
- Similar to juvenile Bald Eagle but more streamlined with smaller head
- Blonde/golden nape distinctive
- Dark brown eye
- Smaller bill than Bald Eagle
- © Ron Kube, Calgary, AB, March 2011
Adult
- Similar to juvenile Bald Eagle but smaller-headed
- No white on underwings
- Golden/blonde nape distinctive
- Holds wings up at slight angle while soaring
- © B.N. Singh, Blackwater NWR, MD, January 2010
Immature
- Similar to juvenile Bald Eagle but smaller-headed
- Golden nape
- Small white patches in center of underwings
- © dwaynejava, Amherstburg, ON, November 2010
Adult
- Much smaller than Bald Eagle with shorter wings
- Mostly pale whitish underneath
- Dark brown band across belly
- © ashockenberry, Ontario, Canada, September 2008
Adult
- Lankier than Bald Eagle with narrow, two-toned wings
- Small, unfeathered red head
- Soars with wings held up in distinctive "v" shape
- © striatus, MD, October 2010
Adult
- Smaller than Bald Eagle with small head and short tail
- Solid black overall with pale wing-tips
- Unfeathered gray head with small bill
- © Kaustubh Deshpande, Arlington, TX, May 2009