Click image to enlarge
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Bald Eagle at Post Office Lake, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.
Image taken, January 30, 2005.
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Bald Eagle ...
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The Cornell Lab of Ornithology gives the description of the Bald Eagle ("Haliaeetus leucocephalus") as a
* Very large raptor.
* Adults unmistakable with brown body and white head and tail.
* Bill large and hooked.
* Long broad wings held flat while soaring.
* Size: 71-96 cm (28-38 in)
* Wingspan: 204 cm (80 in)
* Weight: 3000-6300 g (105.9-222.39 ounces).
The sexes are alike in plumage with the female being slightly larger in size.
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Lewis and Clark and the Bald Eagle ...
The Bald Eagle, the national emblem since 1792, was a common bird observed on the Lewis and Clark journey and the captains made many references to it, both early on in their journey, and then as they camped near the mouth of the Columbia River.
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"... The winds are from Such points that we cannot form our Camp So as to provent the Smoke which is emencely disagreeable, and painfull to the eyes— The Shore below the point at our Camp is formed of butifull pebble of various colours. I observe but fiew birds of the Small kind, great numbers of wild fowls of Various kinds, the large Buzzard with white wings, grey and bald eagle's, large red tailed Hawks, ravens & Crows in abundance, the blue Magpie, a Small brown bird which frequents logs & about the roots of trees— Snakes, Lizards, Small bugs, worms, Spiders, flyes & insects of different kinds are to be <found> Seen in abundance at this time ..."
[Clark, November 29, 1805, while camped at Tongue Point]
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"... a Small Crow, the blue Crested Corvus and the Smaller Corvus with a white breast, the little brown ren, and a large brown Sparrow, the bald Eagle, and the butifull Buzzard of the Columbia Still Continue with us
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[Clark, January 3, 1806, while at Fort Clatsop]
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"... the Common bald Eagle ..."
[Clark, March 11, 1806, while at Fort Clatsop]
When Europeans first arrived in North America, there were between one-quarter to one-half
million bald eagles. The first major decline in the bald eagle population probably began in the
mid-1800s, when eagles were killed by humans and began to lose their nesting habitat to
development.
Today the Bald Eagle, once on the verge of extinction due to hunting, habitat loss, and DDT, is now breeding and surviving in Refuges. The eagle was taken off the endanged species list in 1999 (on the list since 1967) but remains on the threatened species list.
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Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Washington ...
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Click image to enlarge
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Bald Eagle at Post Office Lake, Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.
Image taken, January 30, 2005.
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Click image to enlarge
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Bald Eagle, adult.
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Washington, River "S" Unit.
Image taken, May 23, 2007.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Lewis, July 11, 1805, while in Montana ...
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I saw several very large grey Eagles [most likely the Golden Eagle] today they are a half as large again as the common bald Eagle of this country. I do not think the bald Eagle here qute so large as those of the U' States; the grey Eagle is infinitely larger and is no doubt a distinct species.
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Clark, November 29, 1806, while at Tongue Point ...
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The wind and rain Continued all the last night [while at their camp at Tongue Point], this morning much more moderate. the waves Still high and rain Continues. Capt Lewis and 5 hunters Set out in our Indian Canoe (which is Calculated to ride wave) dow to the place we expected to find Elk from the Inds. information, the[y] pointed to a Small Bay which is yet below us [Youngs Bay] — I Sent out 2 men to hunt Deer which I expected might be on the open hill Sides below, another to hunt fowl in the deep bend above the point [Cathlamet Bay], all the others engaged drying their leather before the fire, and prepareing it for use—they haveing but fiew other Species of Clothing to ware at this time
The winds are from Such points that we cannot form our Camp So as to provent the Smoke which is emencely disagreeable, and painfull to the eyes— The Shore below the point at our Camp is formed of butifull pebble of various colours. I observe but fiew birds of the Small kind, great numbers of wild fowls of Various kinds, the large Buzzard with white wings, grey and bald eagle's, large red tailed Hawks, ravens & Crows in abundance, the blue Magpie, a Small brown bird which frequents logs & about the roots of trees— Snakes, Lizards, Small bugs, worms, Spiders, flyes & insects of different kinds are to be <found> Seen in abundance at this time.
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Lewis, March 26, 1806, just downstream from Crims Island ...
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here our hunters joined us having killed three Eagles and a large goose. I had now an oportunity of comparing the bald with the grey Eagle; I found that the greay Eagle was about ¼ larger, it's legs and feet were dark while those of the bald Eagle wer of a fine orrange yellow; the iris of the eye is also of a dark yellowish brown while that of the other is of a bright silvery colour with a slight admixture of yellow. : after dinner we proceeded on and passed an Elegant and extensive bottom on the South side and an island near it's upper point which we call Fanny's Island and bottom.
[Historians suggest that Captain Lewis was most likely comparing a male Golden Eagle to a female Bald Eagle, as the Bald Eagle is the larger of the two birds. "Fanny's Island" is Crims Island and "Fanny's Bottom" is the Clatskanie/Beaver Slough delta.]
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Clark, March 26, 1806 ...
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here our hunters joined us haveing killed 3 Eagles and a large Wild goose. I had now an oppertunity of Comparing the bald with the grey Eagle; I found the grey Eagle about ¼ largest, its legs and feet were dark which those of the bald eagle were of a fine orrange yellow; the iris of the eye is also of a dark yellowish brown, while that of the Grey is of a light Silvery colour with a Slight admixture of yellow. after dinner I walked on Shore through an eligant bottom on the South Side opposit to Fannys Island.
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