Is That an Eagle?

Is That an Eagle?. . , Water View, Large Trees , Suppose you were a bald eagle. Soaring high above, your keen eyes search for a place to raise your young., You need a tall, sturdy tree that will hold a one-ton nest. You look for water, a river or lake with fish swimming near the surface. Other wildlife is a plus; you prefer fish, but birds, small mammals and a variety of carrion also will satisfy your appetite, Only bothersome humans make unacceptable neighbors., Good eagle habitat attracts ospreys too. Skilled at impaling fish with powerful talons, ospreys will occasionally lose their meal to the larger, more powerful eagles who are masters at pirating food. , (captions) Osprey with fish; Bald eagle, Mistaken Identity , In flight, bald eagles can be confused with several other birds, particularly ospreys and turkey vultures. Look for the following characteristics: , . Eagles soar and glide with their head far in front of their level wings. When fishing, they get only their feet wet. , . Ospreys hold their wings in a distinctive M-shape and flap more than soar. They often plunge completely into the water to catch fish. , . Turkey vultures rock from side to side as they fly. , (captions) Turkey vulture in flight; Bald eagle, Making a Comeback , Seldom seen for many years, both bald eagles and ospreys are reappearing in Pennsylvania. Encouraged by protective laws, conservation strategies and reintroduction o programs, they are recovering from dangers posed by pesticides and human predation., Loss of habitat, clean water and old-growth, is now the primary threat to their continued recovery., Eagles and ospreys migrate through Pennsylvania in April-May and August-October. , The more common turkey vultures migrate in mid-March and remain until November or December , (captions) Bald eagle at nest site; Osprey at nest site, Identification , When perched, eagles,ospreys and vultures look very different. , Turkey Vulture , Length 25-32” Wingspan 72” , Bald Eagle , Length 30-31” Wingspan 72-90” , Osprey , Length 21-24” Wingspan 54-72”, In flight, each bird has different markings, wingshape and wingspan. , Eagles keep their wings level in flight. , Vultures form a V-shape. , Ospreys make a distinctive M-shape. , (captions) Turkey vulture; Bald Eagle; Osprey, Eagles and ospreys have the weapons of efficient aerial hunters: , . Keen eyesight , . Feet and talons to grasp and carry , . Sharp beaks for shredding prey, Turkey vultures are well adapted for clean-up duty: , . Featherless heads allow them to eat carrion yet stay relatively clean , . Feet designed for walking rather than carrying food to a nest , (captions) Bald eagle head; Vulture head and foot; Osprey foot