Bald Eagle
March 15, 2010 - 3:51pm | 
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Category: Bird
Family (birds only): Hawks, Eagles and Harriers
Species: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Habitat: Riparian
Seasonality (birds only): Resident
Basic Information Links:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bald_Eagle/id
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=animals.listbirds
Haines has about 400 resident eagles. They nest in May and the eggs hatch in June. The eaglets grow rapidly and fledge toward the end of August, at the height of the Pink Salmon runs. Often Chilkat and Chilkoot eagles are able to fledge two young.
When the eggs hatch, the eaglets are about 3 oz. Ninety days later, they have increased their initial weight 32-fold, and can weigh 12 pounds. At that time, there are spawned out salmon on the beaches and river banks which serve as a ready food source for the young eaglets. Fledglings appear larger than their parents. This is due to larger "training" feathers. By the time they molt into adult plumage at sexual maturity, their flight feathers will have become smaller and more pointed for more agile flight.
In October/November, there are late Chum and Silver Salmon runs that attract some 3000 eagles from up and down the West Coast of North America. During the nesting seasons, mated pairs are territorial, but during this late fishing season they are not. They can be seen shoulder to shoulder squabbling over fish or waiting their turn at a salmon. For a report on the Fall Eagle Migration, click here.
