bald eagle

American  

noun

1. a large, fish-eating eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, of the U.S. and Canada, having dark golden-brown back and wings, and white plumage on the head and tail in the adult: some recently endangered populations are now recovering.

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bald eagle British  

noun

1. a large eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus , of North America, having a white head and tail, a yellow bill, and dark wings and body. It is the US national bird

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Etymology

Origin of bald eagle

An Americanism dating back to 1680–90

Example Sentences

Bald eagle eggs only hatch about 50% of the time, but the success rate seemed even lower in Big Bear.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2026

Bald eagle pairs may raise one or two chicks at a time, but three is rare, according to Fish and Wildlife officials.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2024

Bald eagle egg starts to hatch at National Arboretum in Northeast D.C.

From Washington Post • Mar. 28, 2022

Bald eagle sightings have blanketed North Texas for a decade.

From Washington Times • May 3, 2015

Bald eagle populations crashed, and these most magnificent of raptors — second only to California condors in wingspan and unequaled in their raging beauty — became perilously rare.

From Washington Post • Mar. 19, 2015