Bald eagles have several adaptations that allow them to be superior, such as excellent eyesight with frontal settings that provide them with binocular and peripheral vision, strong, hooked beaks that can easily tear apart tissues and powerful talons that are used for capturing prey. Bald eagles are also known for being able to reach incredible speeds that are up to 30 miles per hour when flying and up to 100 miles per hour when diving for prey. Their excellent vision allows them to easily identify prey that may be up to 1 mile away.
Bald eagles are at the top of the food chain. Although they typically prefer fish, they have also been known to live off of diets that consist of small birds, like waterfowls and other animals, like muskrats.
Adult males are typically smaller than adult females and will weigh up to 9 lbs. whereas adult females can weigh an upwards of 12 to 13 lbs. Adult eagles have a wingspan that can reach 7 feet. In general, these birds have a lifespan of approximately 30 to 35 years in the wild although some bald eagles have been known to live up to 50 years in captivity.