31 inches long with an 80 inch wingspan. The Bald Eagle is a large heavy-bodied bird with broad rounded wings and a broad tail. The wings are held flat when it flies. The adult has a dark body with a white head and white tail. The thick hooked bill is yellow. It takes four years for this bird to reach full adult plumage. Immature birds have a dark bill and dark brown plumage including the head and tail. There are variable amounts of white mottling in the underwings, belly, and back. As the bird matures this mottling gradually disappears and the head and tail get their adult white color.
The Bald Eagle is a common migrant and winter visitor that is seen from mid September to late April. During the winter it can usually be seen along the Missouri River.
The Bald Eagle is often seen near water where it hunts for fish. It is an opportunistic forager and often eats carrion as well as small mammals, reptiles, and large birds. It will also steal food from other birds and will capture prey only as a last resort. The flight pattern of the eagle is a flap-soar flight.
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