Fast Facts About Bald Eagles

• Bald eagles build the largest nest of any North American bird.
• A pair of bald eagles generally mates for life.
• The bald eagle is exclusively a bird of North America.
• The wingspan of a bald eagle ranges from five and a half feet to eight feet.
• Bald eagles are 28 to 40 inches in length.
• An eagle may weigh eight to 12 pounds.
• Female eagles are about 25 percent larger than male eagles.
• Both sexes will sit on the nest and protect the eggs or young, exchanging places while the other forages for food.
• The bald eagle is one of ten sea- or fish-eagles in the world (genus Haliaeetus). Eagles belong to the family called Accipitridae, which also includes kites, hawks and old world vultures.