General Description: Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are enormous birds of prey with long wings (8-foot wingspan) and a large, hooked bill. Eagles fly with the wings held very flat, which can help to identify them at long range. Adults have a dark body, a white head, and a white tail. Young birds are dark overall, but with some dirty white under the wings and at the base of the tail. Compare with juvenile Golden Eagles, which have a distinct patch of white at the base of the primaries and a large, white band at the base of the tail.

Taxonomy: Accipitriformes, Accipitridae.

Favored Habitat: Around Las Vegas, the Colorado River and large lakes.

Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, look for Bald Eagles during winter at Lake Mead, especially in the Overton Arm, the Overton Wildlife Management Area, and the Pahranagat Valley.

Comments: Bald Eagles mostly feed on fish, which they catch by swooping down to the water surface and catching a fish in the talons without plunging into the water. They also eat dead fish that float up on beaches.