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Bald Eagle Demographics

Biology | Behavior | Diet | Nests | Migration | Demographics | Eaglets | Decline & Recovery
National Symbol | Laws Protecting Eagles | Diseases | Dangers | AEF & Eagles | Overview
Eagles in Homer, Alaska Eagles in Homer, Alaska. Photo: Woodrow Dawson

Where do bald eagles live?

They live almost exclusively around water—lakes, rivers, ponds, oceans—in North America: all around the United States, except Hawaii, and throughout most of Canada.- PN

Why are there so many Bald Eagles in Alaska?

Because of the available habitat there: open water, plentiful food, and undisturbed habitats abound. – PN

How does temperature affect where Bald Eagles live?

Bald Eagles live in dramatic temperature extremes, from hot deserts of Arizona and the heat of Florida and the Southern United States, to near the tree line in extreme northern Canada and Alaska. They seem quite adaptable to weather / temperature extremes. – PN

Are there bald eagles west of the Rockies?

Absolutely! Bald Eagles are found in all 48 continental states as well as Alaska. Only Hawaii doesn’t have Bald Eagles. The Pacific Northwest has a very large Bald Eagle population, with hundreds of pairs breeding in Oregon and Washington. – PN

How many nesting pairs of bald eagles are in the United States?

The Bald Eagle Population Size Report: 2020 Update provides the most current population estimate of bald eagles in the lower 48 states. The bald eagle population climbed to an estimated 316,700 individual bald eagles, including 71,400 nesting pairs. This estimate indicates that the bald eagle population has quadrupled since the last set of data was collected in 2009.