Minnesota Seasons - Bald Eagle

Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy


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.

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 (hawks, eagles, and kites)
Subfamily	Accipitrinae (typical hawks and harriers)
Genus	Haliaeetus (sea eagles and fish eagles)

Subordinate Taxa
Northern Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus washingtoniensis) Southern Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus)

Synonyms


Visitor Photos

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Greg Watson


Gregory Gilman

The screeching shot is great …		… but the majesty of the "portrait" pose is also awesome.


Bobbi Johnson

… taken on the way down to Two Harbors via a back road.


In our trees out back.


Dan W. Andree

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.

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 taking flight.		Another Bald Eagle...

Lane Keller

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


Ramona Abrego
Wild and captive


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.


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


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


Melissa McCalley

I see them almost daily!


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

Margot Avey

Eagle on haybale

Kirk Nelson

Bald eagle nest


Trisha

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


Wayne Rasmussen


		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.
National Eagle Center, Wabasha, MN


MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos



An individual eagle		A convocation of eagles


An eagle nest

Camera

Slideshows

Bald Eagle
Ed McVicker

Bald Eagle
JMC Nature Photos

Eagles
jt893x

Bald Eagle
Joshua Mayer

About

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Eagles
Craig A. Mullenbach

About

Lexington Avenue, Shoreview, MN 3-18-2012

slideshow


Visitor Videos

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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.


Greg Watson 4/12/2025	Location: Wagon Wheel Trail, La Crescent, MN.

Bobbi Johnson
7/6/2024

Location: Lake County

… taken on the way down to Two Harbors via a back road.

Bobbi Johnson
2/24/2024

Location: Silver Bay, MN

In our trees out back.


Dan W. Andree 11/14/2023	Location: rural Norman Co. Mn.

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.

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.


Dan W. Andree 12/18/2021	Location: rural Norman Co. Mn.

Gregory Gilman
5/28/2021

Location: Rochester, MN

The screeching shot is great … but the majesty of the "portrait" pose is also awesome.

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.

Melissa
McCalley
4/28/2018

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

I see them almost daily!

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.

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.

Dan W. Andree
4/1/2018

Location: Rural Norman co. Mn.

Bald Eagle taking flight.

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

Margot Avey
10/14/2016

Location: between Moose Lake and Cromwell, Minnesota

Eagle on haybale

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.