Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

The American Bald Eagle, unique to North America, is often called a fish or sea eagle due to its fish-based diet and preference for habitats near water. Females are slightly larger than males and can live up to 30 years, though the average lifespan is around 15 years. They use their large talons to lift up to four pounds of prey.

In Arizona, Bald Eagles were listed as endangered in 1978 with only 11 breeding pairs. Thanks to conservation efforts, their population increased, leading to their removal from the endangered species list in 2011. The Bald Eagle is protected under the Bald Eagle Protection Act. Montana, born in approximately 2002 in Montana and rescued and rehabilitated in Arizona, arrived at HPZS in 2013.