Bald Eagle

(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

NatureServe

N5B, N5N - Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding

S3B, S3N - Vulnerable Breeding, Vulnerable Nonbreeding

Minnesota

delisted

In 1973 there were estimated to be just 149 nesting pairs of Bald Eagles in Minnesota. In 1984, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) listed it as Threatened. The species has made a dramatic recovery, and in 1996 the DNR downgraded the listing to Special Concern. On August 19, 2013, it was removed from the list, but location records continue to be maintained by the DNR.

 
Bald Eagle
Photo by Ramona Abrego
 

United States

On June 14, 1972, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a ban on the use of DDT in the United States. The reason for the ban, according to William D. Ruckelshaus, Administrator of the EPA, was “the continued massive use of DDT posed unacceptable risks to the environment and potential harm to human health.” The ban took effect on December 31, 1972.

On June 28, 2007, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced the removal of the Bald Eagle from the list of threatened and endangered species. It is still federally protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

Description

 

 

Size

30 to 43

 

Voice

 

Similar Species

 
Habitat

Large lakes and rivers

Ecology

Migration

Mid-February to April and late August to late December

 

Nesting

 

 

Food

 

Distribution

Occurrence

Common migrant, uncommon and local breeder

 

Maps

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

Taxonomy

Class

Aves (birds)

Order

Accipitriformes (hawks, eagles, kites, and allies)

Family

Accipitridae (eagles, hawks, and kites)

Subfamily

Accipitrinae

Genus

Haliaeetus (sea eagles and fish eagles)

   

Subordinate Taxa

Northern Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus washingtoniensis)

Southern Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus)

   

Synonyms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visitor Photos
 

Share your photo of this bird.

 

This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.

Bobbi Johnson

In our trees out back.

   
Bald Eagle    
     
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle
     
Bald Eagle    

Dan W. Andree

Bald Eagle...

   
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle
     

Bald Eagles at Nest Site...

Since we don’t have any large pines in this region a few of them seem to not mind large Cottonwood trees for a nest site. Guessing they are hoping the weather warms up soon.

  Bald Eagle
     
I noticed the bald eagle looking in various directions even downward. It was perched in mainly Aspen woodlands near a marshy area in eastern Norman Co. Mn.   Bald Eagle
     

Bald Eagle taking flight.

 

Another Bald Eagle...

Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle

Lane Keller

This one was high above the tree for hours for fish while watching me at the same time.

  Bald Eagle

Ramona Abrego

Wild and captive

Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle
     
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle
     
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle
     
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle

Lynn Rubey

A Bald Eagle Near the outlook dock on The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge.

  A pair of adult Bald Eagles with a 1 year old juvenile Bald Eagle flying overhead.
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle
     

American Bald Eagle waiting for prey to appear in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge.

  American Bald Eagle in flight over the Minnesota River in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge.
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle

Melissa McCalley

I see them almost daily!

Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle

Randy

Actively used Bald Eagle nest, high in a cottonwood on the grounds of the former Albert Lea Country Club, Freeborn County, MN, September 2017

Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle

Margot Avey

Eagle on haybale

Bald Eagle    

Kirk Nelson

Bald eagle nest

Bald Eagle    

Trisha

We had an eagle in the yard today. He sat contently in the tree until a loud vehicle went by.

Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle
     
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle
     
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle
     
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle
     
Bald Eagle    
     
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle
     
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle

Wayne Rasmussen

National Eagle Center, Wabasha, MN

Bald Eagle    
     
Bald Eagle shot in rural Dodge Co. on May 22- they are nesting in a large cottonwood on a fence row. This is about 4-5 miles from Rice Lake SP. Pentax 55-300mm with my K-5.   Bald Eagle
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
Bald Eagle   Bald Eagle
     

Nest

Bald Eagle    

 

Camera

 

Slideshows

Bald Eagle
Ed McVicker

Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle
JMC Nature Photos

Bald Eagle

Eagles
jt893x

Eagles

Bald Eagle
Joshua Mayer

Bald Eagle
About

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Eagles
Craig A. Mullenbach

Eagles
About

Lexington Avenue, Shoreview, MN 3-18-2012

 

slideshow

Visitor Videos
 

Share your video of this bird.

 

This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.

Dan W. Andree

"A Brief Look at Some Bald Eagles" filmed Dan W. Andree
Apr 22, 2023

About

This short video takes a brief look at a juvenile bald eagle followed by a close view of two bald eagles together, one with almost complete white head and tail perhaps 3.5 yrs. old and the one next to it with the fully white head and tail 4 yrs. or older. Filmed 3-9-23 rural Norman Co. Mn.

Other Videos

Bald Eagles (Accipitridae: Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Nest-building
Carl Barrentine

About

Uploaded on Oct 30, 2011

Gracious! Nest-building in late October? Photographed at the Kellys Slough NWR, North Dakota (30 October 2011). Go here to learn more about nest-building in this species: http://www.fws.gov/pacific/eagle/guidelines/baea_nhstry_snstvty.html

Bald Eagle taking a 24 inch Northern Lake Duroy Phillips Wisconsin
Blake Anderson

About

Published on Jan 24, 2013

Eagle taking a 24 inch northern off the ice on Jan 25th, 2007.

Swimming Bald Eagle - Bay Lake MN
ramseyboof

About

Uploaded on Apr 1, 2011

Bald eagle swimming after failing to pluck a dead duck out of the water in Bay Lake, MN. July 2010.

Lead ammunition takes toll on bald eagle population
University of Minnesota

About

Uploaded on Jan 30, 2009

The University of Minnesota Raptor Center weighs in on the effects of lead ammunition on the state's bald eagle population.

Bald eagles are becoming secondarily lead poisoned by scavenging on lead poisoned or lead shot-crippled waterfowl.

 

Camcorder

Visitor Sightings
 

Report a sighting of this bird.

 

This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.

Bobbi Johnson
2/24/2024

Location: Silver Bay, MN

In our trees out back.

Bald Eagle

Dan W. Andree
11/14/2023

Location: rural Norman Co. Mn.

Bald Eagle

Lane Keller
9/3/2022

Location: Bear Head Lake State Park

This one was high above the tree for hours for fish while watching me at the same time.

Bald Eagle

Dan W. Andree
3/7/2022

Location: Norman County, Mn

Since we don’t have any large pines in this region a few of them seem to not mind large Cottonwood trees for a nest site. Guessing they are hoping the weather warms up soon.

Bald Eagle

Dan W. Andree
12/18/2021

Location: rural Norman Co. Mn.

Bald Eagle

Lynn Rubey
10/29/2018

Location: Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge

American Bald Eagle waiting for prey to appear in The Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge.

Bald Eagle

Melissa
McCalley

4/28/2018

Location: Winsted, MN, Lester Prairie, MN, Plato, MN

I see them almost daily!

Bald Eagle

Dan W. Andree
April 2018

Location: Norman Co. Mn.

I noticed the bald eagle looking in various directions even downward. It was perched in mainly Aspen woodlands near a marshy area in eastern Norman Co. Mn.

Bald Eagle

Dan W. Andree
4/1/2018

Location: Rural Norman co. Mn.

This is the same eagle as the other one I sent some time back but different shot.

Bald Eagle

Dan W. Andree
4/1/2018

Location: Rural Norman co. Mn.

Bald Eagle taking flight.

Bald Eagle

Randy
September 2017

Location: Freeborn County, MN

Actively used Bald Eagle nest, high in a cottonwood on the grounds of the former Albert Lea Country Club

Bald Eagle

Margot Avey
10/14/2016

Location: between Moose Lake and Cromwell, Minnesota

Eagle on haybale

Bald Eagle

Wayne Rasmussen
5/22/2016

Location: Dodge Co.

Bald Eagle shot in rural Dodge Co. on May 22- they are nesting in a large cottonwood on a fence row. This is about 4-5 miles from Rice Lake SP. Pentax 55-300mm with my K-5.

Bald Eagle

Kirk Nelson
4/20/2014

Location: Crosby Farm Regional Park

Bald eagle nest

Bald Eagle

Wayne Rasmussen
11/14/2009

Location: National Eagle Center, Wabasha, MN

Bald Eagle

MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings

 

 

Binoculars

 

Created:

Last Updated:

© MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.

About Us

Privacy Policy

Contact Us