Bald Eagle (American Eagle)

The Bald Eagle is North America's iconic raptor, instantly recognizable by its dark brown body, stark white head and tail, and powerful yellow bill. With a massive wingspan reaching up to seven feet, it is an apex predator that gracefully soars over waterways in search of fish, waterfowl, and carrion.

Bicolored pattern featuring a stark contrast between a clean, bright white basal section and a dark, brownish-black terminal section, indicating it is an adult tail or secondary flight feather.

Tightly interlocked pennaceous structure with strong barbicels and hooklets creating a firm, cohesive vane, with a small downy plumulaceous tuft near the base of the calamus.

Stiff, smooth, and semi-glossy texture with a rigid vane that resists bending, engineered to withstand high wind pressure during soaring and powerful flight strokes.

The sharp, dramatic color break from solid dark brown/blackish tips to a crisp, clean white base is diagnostic of adult Bald Eagle flight or tail feathers.

Found near large bodies of open water such as lakes, reservoirs, rivers, coastal estuaries, and marine shores with an abundant food supply and old-growth trees for nesting and perching.

North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada through the contiguous United States down to northern Mexico, typically year-round in coastal and well-watered regions.

Acts as an apex avian predator and top-tier scavenger, helping to maintain the health of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems by removing sick or dead fish and animals.

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), which lacks the stark white base pattern on flight feathers and generally shows brownish or barred juvenile patterns.

Bald Eagles can fly up to 30-35 mph in regular flight and reach speeds up to 70-99 mph during a hunting dive. Their nests are the largest of any North American bird, sometimes weighing over two tons.

The feather is in good, fresh condition with intact barbs, clean edges, and no visible signs of heavy wear, sun bleaching, or parasitic damage.