Bald Eagle

(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

There is one male bald eagle, Maverick, at Seneca Park Zoo. Maverick was born around 2012 and arrived at the Zoo in 2016. He had suffered wing injuries in their natural ranges and cannot fly. Only bald eagles that have been determined to be unable to live in their natural range are kept in conservation care, where they can thrive without threats to their survival.

Animal Facts

Bald eagles have a brown body and a snow-white head and tail, a feather coloration which is not attained until the bird turns 5.

The bald eagle builds the largest nest of any North American bird, up to 13-feet deep, 8-feet wide and 1 ton in weight.

“Bald” in the English name is derived from the word “piebald,” and refers to the white head and tail feathers in contrast to the darker body, not a state of being featherless.

A bald eagle has a 6- to 7-foot wingspan.

Diet

The bald eagle is carnivorous and eats fish, birds, rodents, snakes and carrion.

Status in The Wild

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

Bald eagles live in North America from Florida to Alaska. They roost in tall trees near clean, fish-filled water in undeveloped areas.

The biggest threats to African elephants are the ivory trade and habitat destruction. Poaching for meat and ivory significantly reduced the population of African elephants in the 20th century. The African elephant has governmental protection, but such poaching is still a serious threat to the species. In Africa, some people have resorted to culling large amounts of elephants to help sustain the ecosystem and reduce the elephant population. The Seneca Park Zoo participates in the Species Survival Plan for the African elephant.