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Raptors (predatory birds), bald eagles are at the top of the food chain and fish in both fresh and salt water. They feed on fish, small animals like ducks, coots, muskrats, turtles, rabbits, and snakes and carrion (dead animals) occasionally. Fish account for 90% of their diet; however, they will prey on whatever is available and easiest to get. It takes them about four minutes to eat one pound of fish. While catching their prey, they rarely enter the water, they snatch the fish from the surface with their talons. They also steal fish from ospreys which are smaller. Historically, ranchers and farmers shot and killed them in large numbers because they were grouped with raptors that killed chickens, lambs, and other domestic livestock.
They have few enemies because of their size and require a large hunting area. Their lifting power is about 4 pounds. Bald eagles approach their prey in a shallow glide, then snatch with a quick swipe of their talons that have a special locking mechanism that instantly closes when they touch prey and cannot be opened again until the bird pushes down on a solid surface. They are strong swimmers and can plunge into water while trying to catch a fish; however, may experience hypothermia if the water is too cold.
Bald eagles spend a lot of time resting quietly because they use an abundance of energy while hunting. Only one out of 18 attacks are successful. They protect their food by tenting with partially opened wings. While eating, they hold their catch with one talon, hold onto their perch with the other, and tear off bites with their beaks. They store food in their crop when they are full and regurgitate indigestible things like feathers, fur, and scales.
Food is not required daily for their survival; however, if they go too long without it, it hinders an effective hunt.
What Do Bald Eagles Look Like? Physical Descriptions
What Do Bald Eagles Eat? Food Sources and Hunting Habits
Breeding Cycles of Bald Eagles Mating and Nesting
Migration Patterns of Bald Eagles
Normal Lifespans and Causes of Death for Bald Eagles
Patriotic Poetry The Eagle as National Emblem
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