The Amazing Bald Eagle….
It was an exciting June afternoon with great possibilities, when we came across a unique wind blown old Spruce evergreen, under a cloudless azure sky. A massive stunted trunk covered in lichen and gnarly bark stretched skyward to hardened branches of lush green needles, weighted heavy with cones. The ancient tree is fine example of older evergreens found on countless small islets dotted along the east coast of British Columbia’s Vancouver Island. Perched high was a magnificent Bald Eagle, surveying his salmon rich domain.
The Discovery of a Nesting Eagle Family
Firmly attached on a rocky ledge overlooking a bountiful ocean bay, the tree had survived fierce Pacific Coast winds and winter storms for over a century. Roots, deeply anchored in nutrient rich soil and entwined in a solid rocks structure, will give it strength to withstand many more years of tempests.
Wedged in the canopy is a huge eagle nest constructed of sticks, twigs, grass, moss, mud and more, in a tangled crook of uppermost limbs. Camouflaged by moss & lichen the weathered home, or aerie, has provided multiple generations of eaglets a safe haven, year after year… Incredibly this afternoon two eaglets, guarded by a parent, gazed back at us…. the old fir’s unique form quintessential to the survival of the amazing Bald Eagle in British Columbia’s Wild Kingdom.
North America’s Largest Raptor
Bald Eagles build the largest nest of any bird in the world! They typically range from about 1.2 metres to 1.7 meters across by 1.2 metres deep, weighing a few hundred kilos. However can be much much larger, 100’s of kilograms. Imagine! A breeding pair may return to the same nest for years, adding new sticks and so on, accumulating girth and mass to their nest.
The Bald Eagle breeds across much of Canada, reaching its highest concentrations here in coastal British Columbia. It winters in southern Canada and down into the United States. There are approximately 110,000 individuals in Canada, representing 55% of the global population! It is indeed an iconic Canadian bird.
The Bald Eagle Described
The form and nature of eagles, meat eaters with large hooked beaks and long sharp talons classify this great them as a raptor or bird of prey.
The bald eagle was named by a pioneer for the conspicuous white head of the adult bird.” In old English bald or balde was a word synonymous with white not hairless, hence the eagle was named for its white feathers.
First People called this magnificent raptor and superb hunter a “Fish Eagle” for its exceptional fishing skills often seen as it swoops down from a high perches to grasp a salmon, herring, or other fish near the water’s surface. A skill that figures prominently in their legends and culture…. First Peoples of the Pacific Northwest attach attributes of power, intelligence, and vision to the bird. They revered it for flying high in the sky closest to God. The eagle symbolizes respect, honour, strength, courage and wisdom. It is moreover considered a sacred bird by many, and depected in artistic impressions.
Where Bald Eagles Live
Today Bald Eagles are found all across Canada and North America, although in recent times Bald Eagles were once a species at risk in the continental US! US numbers plummeted by pesticide use negatively affecting reproduction, and extensive slaughtering by ill informed US hunters who considered this inspirational bird as angling and agricultural competitors threatening livelihoods.
Bald Eagle populations were decimated in the US by hunting and use of DDT. For over two decades (1917 onward) the US territorial governments paid hunters to kill these magnificent raptors and upwards to 128,000 Bald Eagles are reported in some reports to have been slaughtered!! A bounty of 50 cents to two dollars a carcass was paid in Alaska, Texas, and other territorial jurisdictions! In spite of a US congressional 1940 Act protecting eagles, killings and bounties still continued for about another 12 years in certain jurisdictions. Then, when US eagle populations were on the verge of total collapse Canada sent eight Canadian Bald Eagles to the US in 1983 to rebuild their eagle populations; two going to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and six destined to go to Massachusetts. In the same year 32 Northern Ontario eaglets were transplanted to the shores Lake Erie help boost US declining populations!
Fortunately populations have rebounded and plentiful… and in 2007 they were declared no longer “a species at risk”. Estimates vary, but suffice to say there are many, many thousands of these thrilling birds live up and down the Pacific coast and inland waters.
Bald Eagle Species
The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is actually a subspecies of Eurasia’s Sea Eagle, and prefers to home around water; rivers, lakes, and ocean environments with an ample supply of their main food…. fish. Bald Eagles will also prey on small animals and indeed scavenge on fish carcasses and other carrion. They are at the top of their food chain, fearless and determined! They will dive with their yellow feet and sharp talons targeted towards their quarry… and with incredible agility will snatch a fish from the water’s surface leaving only droplets behind…. The eagle’s powerful two metre wings carry away prey weighing as much as 3 -4 kgs or more.
When perched, the body remains motionless, yet the head is constantly turning right & left, looking through piercing binocular visioned eyes, surveying their world below looking for small prey up to 3 kilometres away… Eyesight 20/5 thought to be 4-5 times better than humans 20/20 vision. It is also believed they have ocular control to increase their eyesight magnification and zoom in on prey. Amazing eh!
Who could forget the thrill of seeing one of these iconic birds of prey… often perched high in an evergreen tree, or gliding effortlessly in their lofty domain, wings barely moving, performing graceful turns and acrobatic manoeuvres with ease… Their regal behaviours inspiring awe. Observing their keen eyes scanning the landscape below, one can sense their powerful presence and masterful hunting skills. These moments in nature not only leave a lasting impression but also remind us of the delicate balance within our ecosystems and the need to protect such majestic creatures for future generations.
North America’s Only Endemic Eagle
The Bald Eagle is the only eagle endemic to North America, and on average the largest of the two species that breed here; the Golden and Bald. A mature Bald Eagle, as denoted by its white head, has a wingspan of 2 to 2.5 metres, about 100 cm or more in length and weigh 6.5 kilograms or more. Female are generally larger than males. Both take turns incubating one to three eggs, and parenting fluffy babies called eaglets.
The Bald Eagle Changes Appearance as it Matures
Bald Eagles start out brown feathered, and gain their distinctive white head gradually, in about five years.
Over the course of successive moults a fledgling morphs, eyes changing colour to piercing pale yellow, yellow hooked beak, large brown body, white tails, and yellow taloned feet, and the distinctive white head. Changes that signal maturity in the bird creating the desire for a mate to spend a 30 year lifetime together, completing the Wild Kingdom’s circle of life.
Watching a bald eagle soaring in the lofty heavens is truly an unforgettable experience I’ll always cherish…. Majestic wings gliding effortlessly against a blue backdrop, high over towering evergreens and rugged coastline… the magic fills me with awe and gratitude. In that quiet moment, I feel deeply connected to the wild kingdom’s beauty, appreciating both the serenity and power of nature that makes Canada’s wildlife so special.
The magnificent eagle is perhaps the grandeur of nature’s harmony in its most authentic form… An eagle is a living symbol of balance, respect, cooperation, and dynamic equilibrium that invites one to cherish and emulate such qualities in our own lives, fostering a deeper connection with the world around us renewing an appreciation for the intricate beauty of all life. Isn’t nature grand!
Safe Travels
Gord Patterson
Photos © 2024 Christine Patterson