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Bald Eagle, The National Bird of the United States of America
Revival of Bald Eagle
- Context (IE): The national bird of the US, the bald eagle, has returned from the brink of extinction.
- DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane), used to kill malaria-carrying mosquitos and agricultural pests, had a catastrophic impact on the bald eagle population.
- Due to the consumption of DDT-contaminated fish, female eagles laid extremely thin-shelled eggs, leading to nesting failures.
- With the help of captive breeding programmes and strict habitat protections, the USA has now successfully revived the bald eagle population.
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
- Bald eagle is not actually bald. It is named so because of its white-feathered head.
- Distribution: It is the only eagle solely native to North America.
- Habitat: It is a sea eagle (fish-eating eagle), and so it commonly occurs inland along rivers and lakes.
- It builds its nest in isolated trees or rocks located within easy flight of water. Both parents share in the incubation and feeding of the young.
- Threats: Intense hunting, unintentional poisonings (use of DDT and lead shot), habitat destruction, and loss of great herds of bison (a seasonally important food source).
- Conservation status:
- IUCN Red List: Least Concern
- CITES: Appendix II
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