Bald eagle
The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a large North American sea eagle with a dark brown body and contrasting white head and tail.
Sea eagle: A large eagle adapted to coastal or aquatic habitats and commonly associated with fish. The bald eagle belongs to this group of eagles associated with water and fish.
Kleptoparasitism: A feeding strategy in which one animal steals food caught or collected by another. Bald eagles sometimes harass other birds, including ospreys, to take their fish.
Haliaeetus albicilla: The white-tailed eagle, a large Eurasian sea eagle closely related to the bald eagle. It is the bald eagle’s closest living relative, despite its range across Eurasia.
Endangered Species Act of 1973: A United States law that protects threatened and endangered species and their habitats. Federal protection under this law supported the bald eagle’s recovery.
Alaska bald eagles: Bald eagles living in Alaska, where the species is abundant along coasts and waterways. Alaska supports a major population in a landscape rich in fish and nesting habitat.
Haliaeetus: A genus of large eagles that includes several sea eagle species. This genus contains the bald eagle and its closest living relatives.
Osprey: A fish-eating bird of prey that dives feet-first to capture fish underwater. Ospreys catch fish directly, while bald eagles may also steal their catches.
Accipitridae: A family of birds of prey that includes eagles, hawks, kites, and Old World vultures. The bald eagle is an accipitrid, within the family’s diverse radiation of raptors.
DDT: A persistent insecticide that caused reproductive harm in many birds of prey. DDT contaminated bald eagles’ food and weakened eggshells, contributing to population declines.
Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve: A protected area in Alaska’s Chilkat Valley known for large seasonal gatherings of bald eagles. Thousands of eagles congregate there when late-running salmon remain available.