Bald Eagle Feeding Habits

Bald Eagle Feeding Habits Related Information:

Bald eagles belong to the family of sea and fish eagles. Bald eagles chiefly feed on fish but will also feed on what is available such as small ducks, coots, rabbits, snakes etc and at times will even feed on carrion (dead animals). An important source of food for the bald eagle is dead or dying fish. A stronghold of bald eagles is the northwestern coast of America, as these parts are abundant in salmon. A bald eagle does not need to feed everyday, but it also cannot remain hungry for long periods as this will diminish its strength and the bald eagle will not be able to hunt efficiently in order to stay alive.

Bald eagles eat both fresh water and salt water fish. Bald eagles can lift up to half their body weight, around 4 to 5 pounds. When they see a fish swimming in the water or at the top, they swoop down and grab the fish in their talons. They then fly off with the fish depending on its weight. If the fish is too heavy for them to carry, then they can also drag it along and swim to shore using their magnificent wings as paddles. At times if a bald eagle is too hungry, it may refuse to let go of a fish even if it is too heavy for it to carry. This can also lead to the drowning of the bald eagle if it does not have enough strength to swim to safety.

When a bald eagle has had its fill of the prey and there is still some left, it can store this food in a pouch in its esophagus called a ‘crop’. The crop also helps to separate inedible materials such as feathers, scales, and fur from the edible meat. This matter is then mixed with mucus and formed into a mass. At the completion of its feed, the bald eagle can voluntarily reflux the formed mass out of its system.

After it has successfully obtained its prey, a bald eagle covers it with the large expanse of its wings to safeguard it from other birds and animals. It uses one talon to balance on its perch, one to hold on to its prey and then using its beak, breaks off the meat bit by bit. A bald eagle can finish off one pound of meat in around four minutes.

Bald eagles usually hunt alone but have also been spotted hunting in pairs. Their hunting areas can range anywhere between 1700 and 10000 acres. If there is food in abundance in certain areas, then their home range can be considerably smaller.

A bald eagle is a dominant and aggressive scavenger bird of prey. It kills other animals for food in order to survive. Bald eagles are also known to attack other animals for their food. It steals food from other bald eagles as well as from animals of different species.

On an average it takes the bald eagle about 16 to 18 tries before it actually manages to secure its food. So they have to rest a lot as this attacking expends a lot of their energy. More so if they have to worry about feeding their young ones as well.

Because of its sheer size and magnificence, the bald eagle does not have many foes and so it comfortably sits atop the food chain. It generally does not eat chicken and other domestic animals, but will do so in the absence of other food sources even though it is mainly a fish eater.