Life span lengthy for national bird

JOSEPH — We went out to photograph a rough-legged hawk, which are numerous this time of year, but every one of them got nervous and flew away when I got within camera range.

As we were returning home in disappointment, there was a bald eagle sitting in a cottonwood tree right along the road. He paid no attention to us, so I was able to get the accompanying picture, and consequently make the bald eagle my bird of the month.

It is also timely, as we get a large number of bald eagles here in Wallowa County during calving season, which is getting under way. They feed on the placenta and any dead calves they can find.

I think everyone knows that the bald eagle is our national bird, over the objections of Benjamin Franklin who didn’t like the fact that they are scavengers. However, they are primarily fish-eaters, especially in Alaska, where there are abundant salmon runs. The only time I have seen them kill other prey is when they swoop down and grab a duck in their talons.

Bald eagles are said to mate for life, and they usually nest in the same huge pile of sticks every year, which can be several feet deep as they add more coarse material to it each year. The female lays two eggs, but sometimes end up with only one eaglet, as the largest one will frequently knock the smaller chick overboard as it is more of a platform than a nest.

To make up for their low production rate, eagles have a very long lifespan. It wasn’t too many years ago when eagles were scarce in the lower 48 states, so they were put high on the endangered species list. Due to various conservation efforts, they are now abundant all across North America.

If anyone wants to observe eagles in action, go to Alaska during the salmon runs, which stretch from August to October. You will see large flocks of bald eagles feeding on the salmon on almost every river that flows into the salt water.

E.H. Van Blaricom of Joseph writes the Birds of a Feather column monthly for The Observer.