Only fifty percent of Bald Eagle fledglings will survive their first year. Only two species of eagle are known to breed on the North American continent. One, of course, is the bald eagle. Immature bald eagles are often mistaken for the other North American native, the golden eagle. The golden eagle has a distinctive crown of feathers on the head and neck from which it derives its descriptive name. The golden eagle also has feathers all the way to its toes, unlike the bald eagle, which has featherless feet. Golden eagles also prefer rugged uplands to the watery habitat of the bald eagle.
The bald eagle, scientifically known as Haliaeetus leucocephalus, meaning white-headed sea eagle, is not true to its name it our modem language. A bald eagle is, of course, not bald. This eagle was named at a time when "bald" was a common description of white markings on the face or head of an animal.
The eagle belongs to the order Falconiformes, a grouping of birds that includes about 275 species worldwide. This order includes those birds considered carnivores by virtue of their unique design, which enables them to hunt and eat meat. The eagles' razor-sharp talons, hooked beak, and keen eyesight all aid these remarkable birds in the hunt.
