Bald Eagle (American Eagle)

A magnificent large flight feather from the iconic Bald Eagle, featuring a striking contrast of dark brownish-black and pure white. The Bald Eagle is a large raptor with a distinctive white head and tail, dark brown body, and massive hooked yellow bill.

Solid dark brownish-black transitioning sharply to clean, bright white at the base and inner web, indicating a tail or wing feather from an adult bird

Pennaceous vane with tightly interlocked barbs and barbicels, firm and durable structure with some fraying visible at the base

Stiff, smooth, and matte finish with high structural rigidity to withstand strong aerodynamic forces during flight

Large size, stiff asymmetrical vane, stark bi-colored pattern of dark brown and bright white, and robust white-to-dark rachis

Found near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply and old-growth trees for nesting, including lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and coastal marine areas

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

Apex avian predator at the top of the aquatic food web, playing a crucial role in maintaining healthy fish and waterfowl populations

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), which lacks the clean stark white bases on primary flight feathers and has more uniformly brown or barred patterns

Bald Eagles can reach flying speeds of up to 35-43 mph during normal flight and up to 99 mph during a dive; their nests are the largest of any North American bird

Good condition with minor wear and fraying along the basal plumulaceous barbs, but structurally intact with no major breaks or fault bars