BALD EAGLE
Once on the brink of extinction, this species has rebounded and now there are at least 10 active nest sites in Essex County. During migration, the hawk tower at Holiday Beach Conservation Area is one of the best locations to watch this species. You’ll see both the local eagles and the migrants at this location.
Point Pelee National Park is another great location to see eagles, especially during the winter. Over-wintering eagles, from as far away as Newfoundland are often spotted sitting on the icy Tip of the park. In spring and summer the local eagles are often actively hunting and cruising through the park.
Hillman Marsh is also home to a pair of eagles – they nest just a little bit north of the marsh and the male is a frequent visitor, catching fish and returning to the nest.
Peche Island in Windsor is also a popular spot to view eagles, especially in winter when roosting numbers have been at least 40 individuals!
Size & Shape
The Bald Eagle dwarfs most other raptors, including the Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk. It has a heavy body, large head, and long, hooked bill. In flight, a Bald Eagle holds its broad wings flat like a board.
Color Pattern
Adult Bald Eagles have white heads and tails with dark brown bodies and wings. Their legs and bills are bright yellow. Immature birds have mostly dark heads and tails; their brown wings and bodies are mottled with white in varying amounts. Young birds attain adult plumage in about five years.
Behaviour
You’ll find Bald Eagles soaring high in the sky, flapping low over treetops with slow wingbeats, or perched in trees or on the ground. Bald Eagles scavenge many meals by harassing other birds or by eating carrion or garbage. They eat mainly fish, but also hunt mammals, gulls, and waterfowl.
Habitat
Look for Bald Eagles near lakes, reservoirs, rivers, marshes, and coasts. For a chance to see large Bald Eagle congregations, check out wildlife refuges or large bodies of water in winter over much of the continent, or fish processing plants and dumpsters year-round in coastal Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.
*Image and description were sourced from: allaboutbirds.org
