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You are here: Home / Animals / How Did the Bald Eagle Get its Name and Are Bald Eagles Really Bald?

How Did the Bald Eagle Get its Name and Are Bald Eagles Really Bald?

June 10, 2020 by Karen Hill

The Bald Eagle, also known by its scientific name Haliaeetus leucocephalus, is a bird of prey native to North America.

bald eagle head

Bald eagles have white head feathers that contrast with their brown-and-gray body feathers.

The word bald actually comes from the Old English root bhel, meaning “gleaming,” or “white,” and this is where they got their name.

The bald eagle’s diet consists mostly of fish, but it is an opportunistic feeder.

The species was on the brink of extinction in the United States late in the 20th century, but has now recovered and has been officially removed from the U.S. federal government’s list of endangered species.

You Should See Their Little Hair Pieces.

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Filed Under: Animals

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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