It’s officially “American Eagle Day” … did you know? And although not a nationally recognized holiday — it seems like a good day to share some fun facts about our fine-feathered friends — 113 of which were counted within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area just this last January.
- 234 years ago today (on June 20, 1782), the bald eagle was selected as the National Emblem of the United States.
- Long ago, the term “bald” didn’t really mean hairless … it actually meant “white” – which makes the bald eagle’s scientific name of “Haliaeetus Leucocephalus” make more sense, as it translates to “white-headed sea eagle.”
- In terms of size, a bald eagle’s body is about 3 feet from head to tail, with males being smaller than females. Their wingspan is approximately 6 feet for males and 7 feet for females.
- It is believed that they mate for life … well, at least for one of their lives. Once bald eagles find their mates, they live together until one of them dies, after which the surviving eagle will then seek a new mate.
- And lastly, their natural lifespan in the wild is about 20 years, but one was known to have lived almost 50 years in captivity.
