Bald Eagle (American Eagle)

A magnificent large raptor known for its iconic white head and tail paired with a dark brown body and wings. Adults possess bright yellow eyes, bill, and talons, while juveniles display mottled brown and white plumage for several years before reaching maturity at around four to five years of age

Striking bicolored pattern with a rich, glossy dark brown to nearly black distal tip and a mottled, pale grayish-brown to white base. The rachis is white to yellowish near the base and darkens distally

Pennaceous at the distal dark tip with tightly interlocked barbs and barbicels, transitioning into a plumulaceous (fluffy) downy base near the quill

Smooth and firm at the dark tip with a glossy sheen, transitioning to soft, fluffy, and silky down filaments at the proximal base

Distinctive high-contrast sharp color transition between the glossy dark brown tip and the pale, mottled grayish-white base, characteristic of large North American raptor contour feathers

Found near large bodies of open water with old-growth trees for nesting, including lakes, reservoirs, rivers, coasts, and marshes

North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada down through the contiguous United States to northern Mexico

Apex predator maintaining the health of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems by preying on fish, waterfowl, and scavenging carrion, acting as a vital ecological indicator

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), whose contour feathers generally lack the stark white-based mottling and tend to feature more uniform brown tones or golden-brown hackles

The Bald Eagle is the national bird and national symbol of the United States. They build the largest nests of any North American bird, sometimes reusing and adding to the same nest for decades until it weighs over a ton

Good condition with intact barbs at the distal end and some slight fraying at the fluffy base, showing minimal signs of wear or fading