Northern_Eagles

The Brackendale and Yellowstone page contains 48 images including Bald Eagles hunting Salmon on
the Squamish River at Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada and portraits of
a Bald Eagle on an enormous two ton nest on the Madison River in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

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Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

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Direct Links:

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BaldEagle_CatchingSalmon_8595


Bald Eagle Catching Salmon 8595

A Bald Eagle catches a Salmon in the Squamish River at Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park.

Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park lies in the Squamish River valley in the Coast Mountains
north of Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada. One of the most densely populated wintering
areas for Bald Eagles in North America, it often has record numbers of Eagles (3769 in 1994).

BaldEagle_CatchingSalmon_8596


Bald Eagle Catching Salmon 8596

The Bald Eagle grips the Salmon in its razor-sharp talons as it struggles to get away.

Eagles reach their peak at Brackendale in December and January. These images were taken in
November. The exceptionally low winter light in British Columbia creates challenges for photography.

BaldEagle_CatchingSalmon_8598


Bald Eagle Catching Salmon 8598

With a solid grip on the neck of the Salmon, the Bald Eagle begins to drag its catch ashore.
This Salmon is about twice the weight of the Eagle, and it required significant effort to land it.

Bald Eagles are Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus, meaning salt, eagle, white, head).
The word Bald derives from piebald, originally from the Old English bala (white patch or blaze)
and the Middle English ball with the suffix ed used to form an adjective from a noun. Thus the word
Bald in this context means white-headed. The National Bird of the USA, it appears on the Great Seal.

Benjamin Franklin wrote to his daughter a year after the Great Seal was adopted in 1782, expressing
his disappointment that the Eagle had been chosen as the National Symbol, stating that Bald Eagles
did not make their living honestly. He considered them too lazy to fish for themselves, often stealing
fish from other birds. He also considered the Eagle a coward, as it could be chased off by the tiny
King Bird (a play on words: Americans had just chased the “King birds” (British) from the country
in the Revolutionary War). He considered the Wild Turkey a better choice for National Symbol.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8605


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8605

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8606


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8606

The Bald Eagle has the Salmon in shallow water near the shore, where it cannot swim away,
and rests from its exertions for a moment before beginning to drag it onto the rocks to eat it.
The Salmon is not done fighting, and struggles as the Eagle sinks in its sharp hooked beak.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8607


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8607

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8608


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8608

Adult Bald Eagles are dark brown, with a white head and tail. The beak, feet and eyes are yellow,
and the unfeathered feet have short toes with long, needle-sharp talons. The rear talon is used to
pierce vital organs of prey as it is held immobile by the front talons. The juvenile Bald Eagle has
a dark head in its first year and mottled brown and white plumage. In the second year the crown
and throat lighten to a golden brown or gray, somewhat resembling the adult Golden Eagle. The
head and throat lighten further in the third year, and by its fourth year the juvenile head is nearly
white with a few brown patches. It is distinguishable from the adult by its mottled body feathers.
Juvenile Bald Eagles reach sexual maturity by the end of the fourth year or early in the fifth year.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8611M


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8611 M

An adult Bald Eagle drags a struggling Salmon to the shore of Brackendale’s Squamish River.

All of the landscape (horizontal) large version images linked from the thumbnails are 1500 pixels wide.
Portrait (vertical) images are 1200 pixels tall (1290 pixels with title bar). Images designated with an “M”
in the shot number are 5:4 aspect ratio, 1500 x 1290 with a title bar, or 1500 x 1200 without a title bar.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8614


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8614

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8617


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8617

As the Eagle gets the Salmon closer to shore, it requires more effort to move the heavy fish.
The Eagle constantly releases it to adjust its grip, weakening the fish further with new wounds.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8615


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8615

The Eagle stabs the Salmon with its highly developed rear talon and grips the fish with its front talons.

Bald Eagles primarily eat fish, although they take other waterbirds such as Grebes, Ducks, and Geese and
occasionally larger birds such as Egrets and Herons. They have even been known to take Sandhill Cranes.
They will also take other Raptors, such as owls, hawks, osprey and vultures. Eagles also eat mammals,
such as rabbits, squirrels, and raccoons, and even larger animals such as deer fawns and lambs.
In some areas, Eagles eat turtles, snakes, amphibians and some crustaceans such as crabs.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8616


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8615

The Salmon struggles as the Eagle bears down for another attempt to drag it ashore.

Bald Eagles have been seen flying with loads up to 15 pounds (the average Eagle weighs 9 to 12 pounds).
Generally if the prey is more than half the weight of the Eagle, it drags it ashore as seen in these photographs.

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Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

PhotoshelterGallerySection


Direct Links:

Eagles     Red-Tailed Hawks     Assorted Hawks
Owl and Harrier        Falcons & Kites        Osprey

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BaldEagle_withSalmon_8618


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8618

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8619


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8619

The Eagle has the Salmon in both talons, and puts its full strength into its wings.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8621


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8621

The Salmon still has not given up, but its struggles are getting weaker due to its many talon wounds.

This is a Chum Salmon. All five species of Pacific Salmon spawn in the Squamish River, beginning
with Pink Salmon in July. Chinook, Coho and Sockeye arrive in August and September, and Chum
are the last to arrive, returning to the river between October and December. Every year, 1000-2000
Bald Eagles congregate on the Squamish River from November to February to hunt Chum Salmon.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8622


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8622

After another major effort, the Eagle gets the Salmon to the edge of the Squamish River.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8630c


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8630c

The Eagle has the Salmon in the shallows, and sinks in its beak to drag it out of the water.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8633


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8633

One last flurry of activity, and the Salmon is out of the water.

The two subspecies of Bald Eagle are the only species of Eagle that live solely in North America,
and thus they are commonly referred to as the American Eagle. The two subspecies are divided by
geographical location, from 38 degrees N. latitude near San Francisco on the West Coast and a bit
further south on the East Coast at Cape Hatteras. Nearly half of the estimated 70,000 Bald Eagles
live in Alaska. This is the Washington Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus washingtoniensis),
the larger of the two subspecies. They winter further south, in Canada and the Northern US. The
nominate subspecies is smaller (Haliaeetus leucocephalus leucocephalus) and lives in the
Southern US, Baja California and Northern Mexico. They are normally permanent residents.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8634


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8634

After a significant effort, the Bald Eagle has managed to drag the Salmon onto the rocks.

Recent studies have determined that Northern Bald Eagles fly south into the southern US and
Mexico, and Southern Bald Eagles fly north into Canada. This has resulted in a re-evaluation of
the division into two subspecies, and the determination that the size variation is only due to their
adherence to Bergmann’s Rule (the further from the tropics, the larger the species grows). This is
thought to be due to the need to retain heat (larger volume to surface area ratio at higher latitudes).

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8651


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8651

The still struggling Salmon slips partway into the river again, and the Eagle drags it back out.

Like most Raptors, the female Bald Eagle is larger than the male by about 25%. The Bald Eagle
is generally considered to be the largest true Raptor in North America, although large Golden Eagles
are only one pound lighter and may have a larger wingspan, and both White-Tailed Eagles and the huge
Steller’s Sea Eagle (the largest true Raptor, see the Portraits page) occasionally migrate in from Asia.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8653


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8653

The Bald Eagle finally sinks its beak deep into the head for the kill, ending the Salmon’s struggles.

Bald Eagles form a species pair with the tan-headed and somewhat paler White-Tailed Eagle,
which is of a roughly similar size and occupies the same ecological niche in Europe and Asia.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8656


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8656

Now that it has the Salmon ashore, the Eagle can take a well-earned momentary rest.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8657


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8657

The Eagle checks out the photographer across the river and keeps an eye on an opportunistic Gull.

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Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

PhotoshelterGallerySection


Direct Links:

Eagles     Red-Tailed Hawks     Assorted Hawks
Owl and Harrier        Falcons & Kites        Osprey

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BaldEagle_Landing_8645


Bald Eagle Landing 8645

While the Eagle from the previous series was landing its fish, another Bald Eagle flew into the area.

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8663


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8663

BaldEagle_withSalmon_8669


Bald Eagle with Salmon 8669

An adult male Bald Eagle and a second year juvenile land at the edge of the Squamish River to
feed on some Chum Salmon carcasses that have washed up on a small beach after spawning.

BaldEagle_andJuvenile_8673


Bald Eagle and Juvenile 8673

The large size of the juvenile indicates that it is a female (females are about 25% larger than males).

Bald Eagles are opportunistic feeders who eat a lot of fish. More than half of the fish they eat are live
fish that they catch, about one in four are scavenged dead fish which have washed up on the shore,
and about one in five of those they eat are pirated fish they have stolen by driving off other hunters.
Bald Eagles will harass an Osprey in midair until it drop its fish, then dive and pick it out of the air.

BaldEagle_andJuvenile_8680


Bald Eagle and Juvenile 8680

Second year juveniles have a light brown, tan or gray crown and throat, and white mottling on their feathers.

Juvenile Bald Eagles look similar to adult Golden Eagles, except Golden Eagles have a smaller head with a
larger beak. Juvenile Bald Eagles have mottled plumage. The plumage of the Golden Eagle is unmottled and
redder brown, and Golden Eagles have a dark gray, black tipped beak versus the Bald Eagle’s yellow beak.

BaldEagle_andJuvenile_8692


Bald Eagle and Juvenile 8692

Note the white mottling on the back and wing feathers of the juvenile, easily seen as it tears into the Salmon.
The adult male considers eating the other Salmon beside the juvenile, but she has decided that is also hers.

BaldEagle_andJuvenile_8701


Bald Eagle and Juvenile 8701

BaldEagle_andJuvenile_8702


Bald Eagle and Juvenile 8702

The larger juvenile female chases the adult male off the second carcass, but he does not fly far.

BaldEagle_andJuvenile_8706c


Bald Eagle and Juvenile 8706c

The male does not look happy that he has been chased away from a tempting meal.

BaldEagle_andJuvenile_8717


Bald Eagle and Juvenile 8717

BaldEagle_andJuvenile_8718


Bald Eagle and Juvenile 8718

The adult male stalks across the beach in a threatening posture, chasing the larger juvenile
female to another Salmon just a few meters away as a pair of opportunistic Gulls approach.

BaldEagle_andJuvenile_8724


Bald Eagle and Juvenile 8724

The male drags his chosen Salmon out of the water and digs in, while the juvenile settles for another fish.

BaldEagle_CatchingSalmon_Brackendale_SXXL


Bald Eagle Catching Salmon Brackendale SXXL

An 1800 x 1025 version of the SXXL Composite image (7215 x 3935)
showing a Bald Eagle catching a Salmon and wrestling it ashore on the
Squamish River at Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park, British Columbia.

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Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

PhotoshelterGallerySection


Direct Links:

Eagles     Red-Tailed Hawks     Assorted Hawks
Owl and Harrier        Falcons & Kites        Osprey

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BaldEagle_8607c


Bald Eagle 8607c

A Bald Eagle stands watch near a long-established nest alongside the
Madison River near the Western entrance to Yellowstone National Park.

Bald Eagles typically choose a perch near water which has unrestricted visibility allowing them to
scan the entire area for prey. They often select the top of a tree, but when perched below the treetop
they prefer trees with open structures that allow them to land and take off without restricting their wings.

BaldEagle_8609


Bald Eagle 8609

BaldEagle_8612


Bald Eagle 8612

This Bald Eagle is one of about two dozen nesting pairs in Yellowstone National Park.
This nest on the Madison River 6-7 miles from the West Entrance attracts a lot of attention.

BaldEagle_inNest_0030


Bald Eagle in Nest 0030

A Bald Eagle attends an enormous nest at the top of a dead tree in Yellowstone National Park.

This nest is over 9 feet in diameter and weighs more than 4000 pounds. It is one of four nests on
this section of the Madison River. Bald Eagles reuse nests, adding to them each year, and they can
be very large. The record nest was 20 feet deep and 10 feet in diameter, weighing nearly 6000 pounds.

BaldEagle_inNest_0032c


Bald Eagle in Nest 0032c

A Bald Eagle faces into the wind and the lowering sun while sitting
in a huge nest on the Madison River in Yellowstone National Park.

BaldEagle_inNest_0033


Bald Eagle in Nest 0033

BaldEagle_inNest_0056


Bald Eagle in Nest 0056

Bald Eagles build their nests in trees near water, where they can watch for prey.
They add sticks to a nest each year, either picking them up off the ground or breaking
branches off a tree and carrying them in their talons. They interweave the sticks and fill
the spaces with moss, grass and other material. They line the bottom with their feathers
to cushion the eggs, and add greenery as a signal to other Eagles that the nest is in use.

BaldEagle_inNest_0043


Bald Eagle in Nest 0043

The shape of an Eagle nest, or aerie, is based upon the tree in which it is built. Nests built in
tree forks like this one are generally cylindrical or conical (this nest is an inverted cone shape).
This nest has been used for many years (a nest in Ohio was used for 34 years until the tree fell).

BaldEagle_inNest_0053M


Bald Eagle in Nest 0053 M

A Bald Eagle is ruffled by a late afternoon wind in its nest on the Madison River in Yellowstone National Park.

Bald Eagles prefer building their nests in trees where they can have an unobstructed view in all directions.
They usually start building the nest up to three months before the female lays her first egg, and reuse old
nests for many years, adding new sticks each year and repairing any damage from the previous year.

BaldEagle_inNest_0059


Bald Eagle in Nest 0059

BaldEagle_inNest_0066


Bald Eagle in Nest 0066

This Eagle ended up drawing quite a crowd (as do most sights at Yellowstone), so after getting a few
more portraits I headed to West Yellowstone to get some gas (you do quite a lot of driving in the park).
I stopped back at the nest on the way back to take another portrait in the golden light of the setting sun.

BaldEagle_inNest_0084M


Bald Eagle in Nest 0084 M

A Bald Eagle faces the setting sun on its enormous nest near the Madison River in Yellowstone National Park.

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Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Raptors Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

PhotoshelterGallerySection


Direct Links:

Eagles     Red-Tailed Hawks     Assorted Hawks
Owl and Harrier        Falcons & Kites        Osprey

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Click the Display Composite above to visit the Alaskan Eagles page

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Click the Display Composite above to visit the Bosque del Apache Eagles page

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