Did you know bald eagles can dive up to 100 miles per hour? Discover even more bald eagle facts about the USA's national bird.
10 Fun and Fascinating Bald Eagle Facts
Updated on May 28, 2025
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Bald Eagles Build Huge Nests
Large birds like eagles need large nests! Bald eagle nests are about 5 to 6 feet in diameter and 2 to 4 feet tall. If the tree is strong enough, they will use the same nest again and again, adding new materials each year, so some nests can be enormous. The largest known bald eagle nest, in St. Petersburg, Florida, was 20 feet tall and 9 1/2 feet wide
Take a look at these inspiring photos of bald eagles.
Eagles Are No Longer Endangered
Decades ago, bald eagles were seriously endangered. At their low point in 1963, only 417 breeding pairs of bald eagles remained in the Lower 48. They number over 71,000 pairs today, a conservation success story! In 2007, bald eagles were removed from the Federal Endangered Species list.
Learn the story behind the rescue of a special bald eagle.
The Bald Eagle Is the National Bird
The bald eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782. It was chosen for its majestic appearance and representation of freedom and strength. However, it was not the country’s official national bird until 2024.
Bald Eagle Lifespan
Bald eagles take four to five years to develop their trademark white head and tail. While the lifespan of a wild bald eagle is typically 15 to 25 years, the oldest banded eagle was 38 when it died in 2015.
Eagle Eyes Are Powerful
When it comes to sight, eagles have two centers of focus. This gives them the ability to see forward and to the side simultaneously.
Meet the types of hawks you should know.
Bald Eagle Top Speed
While on the hunt for prey, eagles can dive up to 100 miles per hour. But in regular flight, they can travel about 30 miles per hour.
Bald Eagles Soar High in the Sky
These mighty raptors can soar 10,000 feet above the ground, leveraging thermal air currents to conserve energy and glide.
What Do Bald Eagles Eat?
These birds of prey are hunters and scavengers, feeding on fish, small animals and carrion.
Bald Eagle Live Nest Cams
Eagle nest cams are extremely popular, with thousands of people tuning in daily. One of our favorites is in Hanover, Pennsylvania: Check it out!
Male Vs. Female Bald Eagles
“While out on a hike, I saw this beautiful bald eagle perched on a broken tree. Is it male or female, and how can you tell the difference?” asks Birds & Blooms reader Teri Quintal.
Birding experts Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman say, “Bald eagles show a lot of variation in color pattern, but it’s all related to age. Juveniles are dark brown all over at first, and they go through various stages, with different mixes of brown and white, as they mature. It takes four or five years for them to reach the fully white-headed, white-tailed look of adults.
But males and females look the same, except for size. Females are larger on average, and you can see the difference if you see a mated pair perched close together.”
