Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Aves
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Accipitridae

Listing Status:    and  

General Information

A large raptor, the bald eagle has a wingspread of about 7 feet. Adults have a dark brown body and wings, white head and tail, and a yellow beak. Juveniles are mostly brown with white mottling on the body, tail, and undersides of wings. Adult plumage usually is obtained by the 6th year. In flight, the bald eagle often soars or glides with the wings held at a right angle to the body.

Population detail

The FWS is currently monitoring the following populations of the Bald eagle 

  • Population location: Sonoran Desert DPS: Arizona: (1) Yavapai, northern Mexico. Gila, Graham, Pinal, and Maricopa, Counties; and (2) Southern Mohave County (that portion south and east of the center of Interstate Highway 40 and east of Arizona Highway 95), eastern LaPaz County (that portion east of the centerline of U.S. and Arizona Highways 95), and north of the centerline of Interstate Highway 8).
    Listing status:  Threatened
  • Population location: U.S.A., conterminous (lower 48) States.
    Listing status:  Delisted Taxon-Recovered
    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to occur:  Alabama , Arizona , Arkansas , California , Colorado , Connecticut , Delaware , District of Columbia , Florida , Georgia , Idaho , Illinois , Indiana , Iowa , Kansas , Kentucky , Louisiana , Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts , Michigan , Minnesota , Mississippi , Missouri , Montana , Nebraska , Nevada , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New Mexico , New York , North Carolina , North Dakota , Ohio , Oklahoma , Oregon , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , South Carolina , South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas , Utah , Vermont , Virginia , Washington , West Virginia , Wisconsin , Wyoming
    • USFWS Refuges in which this population is known to occur:  AGASSIZ NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , ALAMOSA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , ALLIGATOR RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , ANAHUAC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , ANKENY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE  ... Show All Refuges
    • For more information:  http://www.fws.gov/Midwest/eagle/
Current Listing Status Summary
Status Date Listed Lead Region Where Listed
05/01/2008 Southwest Region (Region 2) Sonoran Desert DPS
03/11/1967 Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region (Region 3) lower 48 States

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 5 of 37 : view all)
Date Citation Page Title
01/15/2009 74 FR 2465 2467 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Status Review of the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in the Sonoran Desert Area of Central Arizona and Northwestern Mexico: Notice of continuing information collection for a status review
08/22/2008 73 FR 49647 49648 Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Habitat Conservation Plan, and Receipt of Applications for Incidental Take Permits
05/20/2008 73 FR 29096 29098 Initiation of Status Review for the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in the Sonoran Desert Area of Central Arizona and Northwestern Mexico
05/01/2008 73 FR 23966 23970 Listing the Potential Sonoran Desert Bald Eagle Distinct Population Segment as Threatened Under the Endangered Species Act
07/09/2007 72 FR 37345 37372 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Bald Eagle in the Lower 48 States From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
Most Recent Special Rule Publications (Showing 2 of 2 )
Date Citation Page Title
06/05/2007 72 FR 31141 31155 Authorizations Under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act for Take of Eagles
02/14/1978 43 FR 6230 6233 Determination of Certain Bald Eagle Populations as Endangered or Threatened

» Recovery

Recovery Plan Information Search
Current Recovery Plan(s)
Date Title Plan Action Status Plan Status
08/25/1986 Recovery Plan for the Pacific Bald Eagle View Implementation Progress Final
04/19/1989 Southeastern States Bald Eagle Recovery Plan View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
07/29/1983 Northern States Bald Eagle Recovery Plan View Implementation Progress Final
09/08/1982 Southwestern Bald Eagle Recovery Plan View Implementation Progress Final
09/27/1990 Chesapeake Bay Region Bald Eagle Recovery Plan - First Revision View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
09/27/1990 Chesapeake Bay Bald Eagle Recovery Plan View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
Other Recovery Documents (Showing 4 of 4 )
Date Citation Page Title Document Type
07/09/2007 72 FR 37373 37374 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Post-Delisting Monitoring Plan for the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and Proposed Information Collection
  • Notice Comment Period for Monitoring Plan
  • Notice Doc. Availability, Post Delisting Monitoring Plan
  • 07/09/2007 72 FR 37345 37372 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Bald Eagle in the Lower 48 States From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
  • Final Delisting, Recovered
  • 06/05/2007 72 FR 31156 31157 National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines
  • Notice Doc. Availability
  • 07/06/1999 64 FR 36453 36464 ETWP; Proposed Rule to Remove the Bald Eagle in the Lower 48 States From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
  • Proposed Delisting, Recovered
  • Delisting Documents
    Date Title
    07/09/2007 Draft Post-delisting Monitoring Plan for the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

    » Critical Habitat

    No critical habitat rules have been published for the Bald eagle.

    » Conservation Plans

    Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP) (learn more) (Showing 5 of 132 : view all)
    HCP Plan Summaries
    0000-Amendment #1 46-Subdivisions (4 low quality subdivisions)
    0000-Amendment #1 46-Subdivisions (42 medium quality subdivisions)
    0001-Aiello, James
    0012-King, Wesley, D.
    0021-Capstone Builders #1 (Wallman, Pam)
    Safe Harbor Agreements (SHA): (learn more) (Showing 5 of 5 )
    SHA Plan Summaries
    Paterson, Thomas W. and Caroline H. (Spur Ranch)
    Pueblo of Santa Ana Amendment # 1
    Pueblo of Santa Ana Safe Harbor Agreement
    Tagshinny Tree Farm
    Tempe, City of, Rio Salado SHA

    » Petitions

    Most Recent Petition Findings (Showing 2 of 2 )
    Date Citation Page Title Finding
    08/30/2006 71 FR 51549 51565 Petition to List the Sonoran Desert Population of the Bald Eagle as a Distinct Population Segment, List that Distinct Population Segment as Endangered, and Designate Critical Habitat
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Not substantial
  • 01/21/1987 52 FR 2239 2242 Findings on Petitions & Initiation of Status Reviews; 52 FR 2239-2242
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Not substantial
  • » Life History

    Movement / Home Range

    Within 50 miles north of Southerly International Boundary between Arizona and Mexico, bald eagles may be found along rivers and lakes as winter residents or migrants. There are no breeding sites within this specific area.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: November 20, 2009