bald eagle

American  

noun

1. a large, fish-eating eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, of the U.S. and Canada, having dark golden-brown back and wings, and white plumage on the head and tail in the adult: some recently endangered populations are now recovering.

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bald eagle British  

noun

1. a large eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus , of North America, having a white head and tail, a yellow bill, and dark wings and body. It is the US national bird

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Etymology

Origin of bald eagle

An Americanism dating back to 1680–90

Example Sentences

Occasionally, she’d draw and share illustrations, such as of a crosswalk sign and a bald eagle she had spotted.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

Ravens recently ate the internet-famous bald eagle couple’s two eggs, a sad twist to the nesting season.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

But no matter where you’re from, there’s another piece of bald eagle lore people are starting to forget—that just a few decades ago, we nearly lost the birds to extinction.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2026

Everyone wants a photo of you in your hot, sweaty, noisy bald eagle mask.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

The peak of the bald eagle migration comes in late August and early September.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson