A juvenile Bald Eagle perches on a tree over looking a half frozen pond. Although he isn't mature enough for the trademark white head and tail feathers, his yellow beak and talons clearly identify him. Bald Eagles reach sexual maturity by 5 years, at which time their head and tail plumage will be pure white.
This youngster is just wintering here in the foothills. As the warm weather sets in he will travel north. Being a creature of habit, he will probably return to the pond next winter. The white on his head and tail will be more predominant but it will still be a couple more years before he reaches maturity. By that time he will be able to soar as high as 10,000 feet and reach speeds of up to 35 mph in level flight.
At about 36 inches in length and with a wingspan of around 7 feet, adult bald eagles are surprising light and weigh between 10 to 14 pounds at maturity. That's only about as much as a small plucked Thanksgiving turkey.
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