Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Born: 1994

Gender: Female

Acquired: May 12, 1999

From: Heritage Zoo, Grand Island, NE

Disability: Shot; missing 2/3 of left wing

Hunts for fish, which it sometimes steals from ospreys, as it is the bulk of the bald eagle’s diet. In midwinter, eats carrion and crippled or injured squirrels, rabbits, muskrats, and waterfowl.

Preferred habitats include open water areas that support large numbers of waterfowl or fish.

Nests usually are built near the top of a large tree. Enlarged annually, a bald eagle nest can become the largest of any North American bird. The record nest measured 10 feet wide and weighed two tons.

The bald eagle’s eyesight is five to six times sharper than a human’s. Eagles fly 20 to 60 miles per hour in normal flight and dive at more than 100 miles an hour.

They can live up to 30 years in the wild and some have lived up to 50 years in captivity. The Bald Eagle is a threatened species in Illinois.