Think you know a lot about bald eagles? Test your knowledge by taking the quiz below. 1) What is the average wingspan of an adult bald eagle? Answer 6 to 7 feet 2) Do bald eagles migrate? Answer Yes, but only as far as they need to go to find open water and suitable habitat. 3) How much does a bad eagle weigh? Answer Newly hatched bald eagles weigh just a few ounces, but they can weigh up to 14 pounds as adults. 4) What is a newly hatched bald eagle called? Answer An eaglet 5) What is a fledgling? Answer A young bird capable of flight, but still living in its original nest. 6) When can bald eagles begin to breed? Answer Bald eagles are sexually mature at age 4 or 5. That's also when they change from almost all brown to their adult plumage, which includes a white head and tail feathers. 7) What other bird was strongly considered to be our national bird? Answer The eastern wild turkey. Benjamin Franklin was one of the turkey's strongest supporters, and was a harsh critic of the choice of the bald eagle. 8) How many eggs does a bald eagle lay each year? Answer Female bald eagles lay one to three eggs, which are dull white. The eggs are laid and hatched a few days apart. 9) What do bald eagles eat? Answer Their primary food is fish, but they will prey on other mammals, waterfowl and reptiles if they are available. Bald eagles will also forage for carrion. 10) How long can a bald eagle live? Answer Bald eagles can live for about 25 years, which means they can have about 20 years of breeding. 11) Where are bald eagles found in Vermont? Answer The best places to see bald eagles are along Lake Champlain, along the Connecticut River, and at Chittenden Reservoir in Rutland County. There are no nesting bald eagles in Vermont, but they frequent these locations. 12) Do bald eagles have any predators? Answer Baby bald eagles and eggs are at risk to become prey for raccoons, crows, bears and other species, but adult bald eagles are at little risk from other animals - except man. While man doesn't prey on the eagle for food, they are shot, trapped and poisoned despite laws to protect them. 13) How well can a bald eagle see? Answer Bald eagles can see three to four times better than humans in daylight, though eagles do not see well in the dark. 14) How can you tell the difference between a male and female bald eagle? Answer Female bald eagles, as in most raptor species, are bigger than the males. Females also have deeper beaks, and longer rear-facing toes. 15) How do young bald eagles look different from adults? Answer Chicks are born with gray down, which is replaced by feathers within four or five weeks. They have dark eyes, bodies, heads and tails until age 4 or 5, when the head and tail feathers turn white and the eyes turn yellow. 16) Do bald eagles mate for life? Answer Yes. Bald eagle couples will stay together until one of the pair dies. The surviving bird will often seek out a new partner. 17) Do bald eagles use the same nests over and over? Answer Yes. Breeding pairs will return to the same nest year after year. This is instinctual practice is called "fidelity." 18) Is the bald eagle the biggest bird in North America? Answer No, but it is one of the biggest birds in our skies. The California condor is bigger, with a wingspan of up to 9 feet, and weights up to 20 pounds. The bald eagle usually has a wingspan of 6 or 7 feet and can weigh up to 14 pounds. 19) How many kinds of eagles exist? Answer There are 59 species of eagles worldwide, but just two, the bald eagle and the golden eagle, live in North America. 20) What are spicules? Answer Spicules are small, prickly points on the bottom of the eagle's foot. They help the birds hold onto slippery fish. There are several fun things to do in this section. Follow the links below and HAVE FUN! Coloring book Puzzle Quiz Eagle word find Glossary of terms Terms of Use - Copyright 2009 Central Vermont Public Service Copyright photos CVPS, Floyd Scholz U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife Web related issues