The
plumage of an adult Bald Eagle is evenly brown with a white head and
tail. The tail is moderately long and slightly wedge-shaped. Males and
females are identical in plumage coloration, but sexual dimorphism is
evident in the species in that females are 25 percent larger than males.
The beak, feet and irides are bright yellow. The legs are feather-free,
and the toes are short and powerful with large talons.
The highly
developed talon of the hind toe is used to pierce the vital areas of
prey while it is held immobile by the front toes. The beak is large and
hooked, with a yellow cere. The plumage of the immature is brown, speckled with white until the
fifth (rarely fourth, very rarely third) year, when it reaches sexual
maturity. Immature Bald Eagles are distinguishable from the Golden Eagle
in that the former has a more protruding head with a larger beak,
straighter edged wings which are held flat (not slightly raised) and
with a stiffer wing beat, and feathers which do not completely cover the
legs.
The Bald Eagle has sometimes been considered the largest true
raptor in North America, excluding the California Condor, which is a
member of the New World vultures and may not be a true accipitrid.
However, the Golden Eagle, in its American race, broadly overlaps in
body weight and overall size with the Bald Eagle.
Eagle HD Wallpaper
Eagle HD Wallpaper
