Q. How long does the bald eagle live?
A. Typically in the wild probably between 20-30 years. Some eagles in captivity have lived up to 50 years, but in the wild they would not live as long.
Q. How do you determine a bald eagle’s age?
A. By plumage until they are 5 years old, then after that you cannot age them.
Q. Does the bald eagle mate with different kinds of eagles?
A. No.
Q. Do bald eagles have only one mate for life?
A. Typically, yes, although occasionally an intruding adult (not one of the pair) comes in (usually a female) and battles the resident bird for the territory, sometimes then taking over. If one of the pair dies, the other will find a new mate and usually keep going in the same territory.
Q: Do eagles push their young out of the nest to encourage them to fly?
A: No! The adults may withhold food as the eaglets get near fledging, and encourage them to fly to a nearby perch to get their meal, but that’s about it. Usually, no coaxing is necessary and the eaglets are all too anxious to test their wings!
Q. If an eaglet falls, will a parent fly below the nest to catch it and carry it back to the nest?
A: No!
Q. Do bald eagles build their nests in low trees?
A. No, nor do they prefer to. Given the option, eagles will choose a “super-canopy” (one rising above the rest) tree with sturdy limbs and a commanding view of the surrounding terrain, which is also always very near to water. Typical nest heights are 50-125 feet high.
Q. How tall do trees have to be for a Bald Eagle to nest in?
A. The higher the better!
Q. Why do bald eagles have such big nests if they only have two eggs?
A. They are large birds and their young become quite large, demanding of lots of space to fit all the birds and their 6 foot plus wings.
