Hi friends! Today, we’re going to learn some cool things about American Eagles. Let’s dive in and discover what makes these birds so special!
An American Eagle, also known as a bald eagle, has a dark brown body and wings, with a white head and tail. It has bright yellow feet and a big hooked beak. Even though it’s called a “bald” eagle, it actually has white feathers on its head. Long ago, the word “bald” meant white, which is why it’s called that today.
American Eagles love to fly high in the sky or sit in tall trees near rivers and lakes. They like to live near big lakes and rivers where there are lots of fish. Eagles build their nests at the tops of trees, and they make them bigger every year. Some nests can be as wide as 10 feet and weigh up to 1,000 pounds!
Female eagles are bigger than males. They weigh about 10 to 14 pounds and have a wingspan of 7 feet. Male eagles weigh around 8 to 10 pounds and have a wingspan of up to 6 feet. Once a female finds a mate, they usually stay together for life. Eagles lay one to three eggs each year, and the eggs hatch in about 35 days. Baby eagles, called eaglets, learn to fly in about three months!
American Eagles love to eat fish. They use their sharp claws, called talons, to grab fish from the water. Their feet are rough, so the fish don’t slip away. Besides fish, they also eat ducks, turtles, rabbits, and even snakes. Sometimes, they eat animals that are already dead, which helps keep the environment clean.
Did you know that American Eagles can fly at speeds of 20 to 40 mph when hunting? When they dive to catch a fish, they can go as fast as 100 mph! They can even swim by using their wings like a butterfly stroke. Most American Eagles live in Alaska, and they love to add twigs and branches to their nests every year. One nest was used for over 34 years and weighed almost 4,000 pounds!
American Eagles are important for the environment. They help clean up by eating dead animals and keep animal populations healthy by hunting weaker animals. In the 1960s, they were in danger of disappearing because of pesticides and losing their homes. But thanks to conservation efforts, they are no longer endangered.
Why were American Eagles endangered? They were endangered because of pesticides and habitat loss. Now, they are on the threatened list, which is a big improvement!
Which word best describes the American Eagle? A) defenseless B) venomous C) unique D) noisy E) predator. If you picked E) predator, you’re right!
True or false: An American Eagle is sometimes called a bald eagle. The answer is true!
Great job learning about American Eagles! If you want to learn more, visit our website at learn.org for lots of fun resources.
Build a Nest: Gather some twigs, leaves, and small branches from your backyard or a nearby park. Try to build your own eagle nest! Remember, eagles make their nests bigger each year. How big can you make yours? Think about why eagles need such large nests and discuss with a friend or family member.
Wingspan Exploration: Use a measuring tape to measure out 7 feet, which is the wingspan of a female eagle. Lay down on the floor and stretch your arms out. How does your “wingspan” compare to an eagle’s? Draw a picture of yourself with eagle wings and imagine what it would be like to fly like an eagle.
Food Chain Adventure: Create a simple food chain using pictures or drawings. Start with fish, then add an eagle, and finally, a larger predator like a bear. Discuss how each animal is important in the food chain. Why do you think eagles help keep the environment clean?
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi friends! Today we are going to learn all about American Eagles. You can read along with us by downloading the lesson plan from our website, learn.org.
What is an American Eagle? An American Eagle has a dark brown body, wings, and a white head and tail. It has bright yellow feet and a large hooked bill. While people like to call it an American Eagle because it is the national bird of the United States of America, it is most often called a bald eagle. You may wonder why it is called a bald eagle since it has white feathers on its head. In this case, the word “bald” does not mean without any hair or feathers; in Old English, “bald” meant white and referred to feathers. Over time, the “e” was dropped from the word.
American Eagles fly high above the sky or perch in tall trees near rivers or lakes. They live near large inland lakes and rivers that have abundant fish. They generally choose the tops of trees to build their nests, and each year they enlarge their nests. Some nests are 10 feet across and weigh up to 1,000 pounds. American Eagles can have a single nest or several in their territory. Female American Eagles are larger than males, weighing around 10 to 14 pounds with a wingspan of 7 feet. Males weigh approximately 8 to 10 pounds and have a wingspan of up to 6 feet. Once a female meets her mate, they often remain paired for life. Typically, American Eagles will lay one to three eggs once a year, and it takes about 35 days for the eggs to hatch. Baby eagles, or eaglets, learn to fly within the first three months of their lives, and a month after that, they go out to live on their own.
What do eagles eat? Using their sharp talons, American Eagles snatch fish out of the water. The undersides of their feet are coarse or rough, so the fish will not slip out of their grasp. Fish is their staple food, so they live near lakes, rivers, and marshes. They also feed on ducks, waterfowl, turtles, rabbits, snakes, and other small animals. American Eagles will also eat carrion, the decaying flesh of dead animals. American Eagles are predators and scavengers, which means they are opportunistic feeders.
Other interesting facts: American Eagles glide around 20 to 40 mph when hunting prey. When an American Eagle dives into the water to grab a fish, it can travel up to 100 mph, and they can swim if needed by using an overhand movement of their wings, which looks a lot like the butterfly stroke. Imagine seeing a swimming eagle! Did you know that the largest population of American Eagles lives in Alaska? Only Hawaii does not have a species of bald eagles living in the state. Year after year, American Eagles return to their nests, and just like people, they like to make additions and improvements to their homes. Many American Eagles will add twigs and branches each year. One nest was found to have been used for over 34 years and weighed over 2 tons, almost 4,000 pounds.
Why are eagles essential to the environment? American Eagles require a perching area, a nesting site, and a good food base, and they are an essential part of the environment. For example, they eat carrion, which helps to clean up the land. Since they are great hunters, they also help to keep animal populations strong by killing off the old, slow, and weak animals, allowing only the healthy and strong to survive. Even though it is the national symbol of the United States of America, it became threatened with extinction in the 1960s. The increased use of pesticides, habitat loss, and other problems created by humans caused them to be officially listed as an endangered species in 1976. However, thanks to many conservation efforts, the American Eagle was downgraded from the endangered to the threatened list in 1995. The recovery of the American Eagle is one of the best and most well-known conservation stories.
We have learned some interesting facts about American Eagles. Are you ready to review? Why was the American Eagle endangered? The American Eagle became endangered because of the increased use of pesticides, habitat loss, and other problems created by humans. Luckily, they are no longer considered endangered and have been moved to the threatened list.
Choose the word that the author would say best describes the American Eagle: A) defenseless B) venomous C) unique D) noisy E) predator. If you chose E) predator, you’re right!
True or false: An American Eagle is sometimes called a bald eagle. The answer is true! I hope you got that right. Looks like you answered those questions with an eagle eye! Excellent work!
Remember, you can find this lesson and other great lesson plans on our website, learn.org. I hope you had fun learning with us! Visit us at learn.org for thousands of free resources and turnkey solutions for teachers and homeschoolers.
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