| Did you know that the United States
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| | summers, the birds usually return close
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| adopted the bald eagle as the national
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| | to the place where they were hatched in
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| bird and symbol of the nation in 1782?
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| | order to begin families of their own.
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| European settlers in America, used to the
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| | Breeding bald eagles lay one to three
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| sight of the Sea Eagle in Europe, named
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| | eggs in the spring, which hatch about 35
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| the bald eagle, believing the two birds
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| | days later. The baby eagles live in the
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| were the same. There were no bald eagles
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| | nest during the first three months, and
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| in Europe, as the bald eagle is found
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| | then learn to fly for a month before
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| only in North America. The scientific
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| | leaving and beginning their own lives.
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| name of the bald eagle is Haliaetus
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| | The bald eagle, despite the dangers of
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| leucocephalus, which actually translates
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| | disease, hunger, bad weather, and toxic
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| from Latin and Greek into 'sea eagle with
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| | chemicals, still adapt to their
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| a white head.' We still call them sea
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| | environments and live into their second
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| eagles to this day.
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| | year 70% of the time.
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| The bald eagle is the only 'sea eagle'
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| | Did you know that the U.S. Congress tried
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| that is a native of North America. There
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| | to help the species by passing the Bald
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| is no mistaking the bald eagle, with its
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| | Eagle Protection Act in 1940? The law
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| deep brown feathers and contrasting white
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| | prohibits anyone from disturbing or
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| head and tail. Coins, flags, buildings,
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| | bothering bald eagles. The law also
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| and seals in the United States have used
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| | prohibited taking the animals, their
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| the image of the bald eagle to symbolize
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| | eggs, or their nests, for any reason
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| the country.
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| | unless they have a permit. Take includes
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| These birds of prey are raptors, along
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| | not just capturing or trapping the bald
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| with owls, hawks, vultures, and falcons.
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| | eagle, but also bothering them, shooting
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| The bald eagle eats mainly waterfowl,
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| | at them, and wounding or killing them.
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| such as geese and ducks, and fish, but
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| | The overuse of pesticides commercially
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| also may indulge in small birds, rodents,
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| | and residentially, as well as the use of
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| snakes, rabbits, and even carrion when
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| | DDT and other harmful chemicals, led to
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| live prey is not available
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| | the steep decline of bald eagles.
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| Bald eagles are enormous and intimidating
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| | Reintroduction programs, some federally
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| birds, with adults growing to 32 inches
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| | funded and some private, as well as new
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| in length, with wingspans to 7 feet, and
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| | laws have given the bald eagle a chance
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| weighing up to 16 pounds.
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| | to return in numbers. It seemed nearly
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| Alaska is home to the larger eagles,
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| | impossible to save the species from
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| while the smaller ones make their homes
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| | extinction at the time.
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| in Florida. Wherever they are, when
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| | For species with small populations, and
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| animals see the bald eagle descending,
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| | those with very few animals left, the
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| they know to scatter.
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| | Endangered Species Act of 1973 allowed
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| An area 2 to 15 miles square is the area
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| | the legal classifications of endangered
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| needed for a pair of bald eagles to hunt
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| | or threatened. The dramatic return of the
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| in. Each pair of bald eagles shares a
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| | bald eagle population removed it from
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| nest, furiously guarding it from
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| | most endangered species lists in the
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| predators. Bald eagles living along the
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| | early 1990s.
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| Indian River lagoon located on the
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| | The dramatic increase in the number of
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| Central Florida coast have been known to
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| | bald eagles, up from almost 500 pairs in
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| go after Ospreys who have themselves
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| | 1963, to about 5,000 pairs in 1994,
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| caught a meal. The Osprey usually drops
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| | encouraged Congress to upgrade the
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| its hard-won catch in order to escape the
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| | species to threatened on August 11, 1995.
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| powerful eagle, and the eagle, not at all
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| | As the number of bald eagles increase,
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| fussy about its meals, will then eat it.
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| | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has plans
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| Although they are birds of prey, the bald
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| | to remove the bird from the endangered
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| eagle shows a tremendous instinct for
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| | species list altogether.
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| family loyalty. This species chooses its
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| | The bald eagle is a pleasure to watch.
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| mate for life, unlike most birds. The
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| | The bald eagle takes off with strides
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| bald eagle in the wild can live to be 25
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| | that are powerful and purposeful. The
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| years old, though most birds do not live
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| | eagle soars as if in slow motion. The
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| to be this age. They live across North
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| | eagle stays fixed on its path, the prize
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| America, from the north, including Canada
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| | kept firmly in sight. The number of
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| and Alaska, across the middle expanses of
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| | majestic bald eagles is steadily
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| the U.S., and south into the northern
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| | increasing all over North America. Take
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| part of Mexico.
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| | any opportunity to see these magnificent
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| The bald eagle travels frequently, flying
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| | animals.
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| to northern climates to escape hot
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