Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is in the Hawks, Eagles, and Kites family (Accipitridae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 164,997 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in April.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Bald Eagle: observations by month (U.S.)

About Bald Eagle

The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus, from Greek hali "sea", aiētos "eagle", leuco "white", cephalos "head") is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). Its range includes most of Canada and Alaska, all of the contiguous United States, and northern Mexico. It is found near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply and old-growth...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Bald Eagle by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)

Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis

Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatus

Cooper's HawkAstur cooperii

Northern HarrierCircus hudsonius

Mississippi KiteIctinia mississippiensis

Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoni

Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus

Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatus

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ