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BALD EAGLE |
GOLDEN EAGLE |
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Adult has dark body with white head and tail. |
Adult is dark brown with a golden nape of neck. |
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Immatures are dark-bodied with irregular white mottling in
wings and tail. |
Immatures are dark-bodied with white in wing patch and at
base of tail. |
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Legs are feathered to mid-leg only. |
Legs are completely feathered. |
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Weigh 6-14 pounds; wingspread is 6-8 feet. |
Weigh 7-13 pounds; wingspread is 5-7 feet. |
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Females 1/3 larger than males. |
Females 1/3 larger than males. |
The Past: When Europeans first arrived in North America, the
continent had an estimated 50,000 breeding pairs in the lower 48 states. Shooting, habitat
loss, and the accumulation of pesticides such as DDT in the food chain reduced this
species nearly to the point of extinction.
The Present: With the banning of DDT in the United States and
the protection offered by the Endangered Species Act, the bald eagle has rebounded. The
lower 48 states currently have an estimated 6,500 bald eagle pairs. Cooperative conservation efforts led the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service to reclassify the bald eagle as a threatened species. In South Dakota, the bald
eagle is a state threatened species.
The Future: Continued habitat loss is likely as we try to
meet our demands for energy, timber, food, and development space. Pollution effects,
illegal shooting, and illegal poisoning are all likely to continue to hurt the bald eagle
and other wildlife species. Increased law enforcement can help protect individuals, but
without a check on loss of diverse habitats, the bald eagle and many other species will
continue to face survival challenges in the future.
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