A Bald Eagle’s Snowy Descent

The Bald Eagle is native to forested regions near large bodies of water in Canada, the United States, parts of Mexico, and the islands that neighbor these countries. Though a solitary hunter and migrator, the Bald is thought to mate for life, pairs reuniting each year during their January to March breeding season. About two months prior egg-laying, the couple creates a nest of sticks and soft plant material. Nests are often used many years in a row, each occupant building upon the previous. The largest documented Bald Eagle nest, made by a pair and possibly their successors, measured over nine feet across, 20 feet deep, and weighed more than two tons.  

This image was a Top 100 photo from the 2011 Audubon Magazine Photography Awards. To see all of the photos, click here. 

For more on the Bald Eagle:

Introducing the Bald Eagle, our National Symbol

Guide to North American Birds: Bald Eagle

Photo of the Day 2015: Two Bald Eagles in a Tangle

Bald Eagles in the Big Apple

The State with the Most Nesting Bald Eagles