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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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