What Are the Enemies of the Bald Eagle?

Humans represent the biggest enemy of bald eagles due to chemicals, vehicles or power lines. Other large birds or mammals, such as owls or raccoons, may occasionally prey on a nestling. Extinction threatened the bald eagle during the 20th century.

Due to recovery in the numbers of bald eagles, the federal government removed the species from the endangered list in 1995 and the threatened list in 2007. Bald eagles live in tall trees or sometimes cliffs near a water source. They are good swimmers and sometimes swim to shore with their prey clutched in their talons. The female bald eagle is larger and has a lower-pitched call than a male bald eagle.