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Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Plate — illustration to come
Year-round residentNative · New Jersey

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Accipitridae

One of the great American conservation success stories. Bald Eagles were down to a single nesting pair in New Jersey in 1976 — a population devastated by DDT and habitat loss. Through decades of recovery work, the state now hosts more than 220 nesting pairs, and in January 2025 the Bald Eagle was officially removed from the New Jersey Endangered Species List.

Identify by

How to spot one.

  • 27–38 inches tall, wingspan up to 7.5 feet — enormous

  • Adult: unmistakable white head and tail, dark brown body, massive yellow bill

  • Juvenile (through 4–5 years): mottled brown-and-white overall; can be confused with Golden Eagle

  • Slow, deliberate wingbeats; often soars flat-winged (not dihedral)

  • Almost always near water

Voice

What it sounds like.

Surprisingly weak — a series of high-pitched whistled chirps and squeaks. Hollywood dubs in Red-tailed Hawk screams for movie eagles because the real eagle sounds too small for its body.

Life & behavior

How it lives.

Nests near large water bodies. Massive stick nests reused and expanded for decades — some NJ nests are over 10 feet across and weigh a ton. Both parents incubate and feed young. Highly territorial around nest sites.

At a glance

The spec sheet.

Status
Year-round resident
Size
27.9–37.8 inches (wingspan up to 7.5 feet)
Present in NJ
Year-round
Native to NJ
Yes
Conservation status
stable
Family
Accipitridae
Diet

What it eats.

Diet often shifts dramatically between breeding season and the rest of the year — especially for insectivorous birds that pivot to native berries in fall and winter.

Summer / breeding season

  • Fish — the primary food (menhaden, herring, catfish, etc.)

  • Waterfowl and gulls

  • Occasionally small mammals

Fall / winter

  • Fish where open water exists

  • Waterfowl on rivers and reservoirs

  • Carrion (deer, roadkill) in winter

Plants it uses

What it needs.

Native plants that feed this bird or provide shelter. Names in hydrangea link to the plant’s Field Guide entry.

  • Tall live trees near large water bodies (nest sites)

    Cover / habitat

  • Undisturbed riparian corridors

    Cover / habitat

Conservation

Removed from NJ Endangered Species List January 2025. Still protected under the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Continued threats include lead poisoning from ammunition in scavenged carcasses and human disturbance at nest sites.

Sources

NJDEP Fish & Wildlife · NJ Conservation Foundation · US Fish & Wildlife Service

More in this group

Other year-round residents.