9 Types of Eagles in Alabama

Adult Bald Eagles have a white head and neck contrasting sharply with a dark brown to black body and upper wings. The beak is large, thick, and yellow, as are the feet. Immature birds, which remain dark brown overall until their fourth or fifth year, often confuse new birdwatchers. Look for the broad, powerful wings held flat in a soaring posture, the heavy body, and the wedge-shaped tail. An adult in clear sunlight is unmistakable; an immature bird requires attention to head shape, beak size, and wing proportions to confirm identity.

Red-tailed Hawks and Red-shouldered Hawks are far more common in Alabama's skies than Bald Eagles, but they are noticeably smaller (18 to 22 inches versus 30 to 40 inches for eagles). Red-tailed Hawks show a distinctive red tail in adults, while Red-shouldered Hawks have barred wings and a barred tail. Cooper's Hawks are smaller still and favor wooded areas; Broad-winged Hawks migrate through Alabama in spring and fall. None of these hawks have the massive wingspans, powerful beaks, or commanding silhouettes of Bald Eagles. If you see a very large dark-and-white raptor soaring, it is almost certainly a Bald Eagle.

No. The Bald Eagle is the only eagle species that regularly occurs in Alabama. The next-closest eagle relative found anywhere in the eastern United States is the Golden Eagle, which is a rare winter visitor to northern states and only a handful of records exist for Alabama, making them virtually nonexistent in practice. All the other large raptors people encounter in Alabama, including the abundant Red-shouldered Hawk and Red-tailed Hawk, are hawks, not eagles.

Peak viewing occurs from November through February, when migratory populations from the northern United States and Canada move through the state and establish temporary territories. Winter counts along major rivers like the Tennessee River and Mobile River show the highest concentrations during December and January. During spring and summer months (March through October), resident breeding pairs remain along deep water bodies and river valleys, but they are less frequently observed because the state's resident population is still relatively small compared to the migratory influx. Early morning hours offer the best chance of spotting eagles as they leave roosts to hunt.

The Bald Eagle sections at the top of this guide, Mobile Bay, Gulf State Park, Bankhead National Forest, the Tennessee River Valley, Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, and Dauphin Island, represent the state's most reliable eagle habitat. Mobile Bay and the Tennessee River Valley historically support the highest concentration of winter Bald Eagles. Coastal areas such as Dauphin Island attract transient eagles during migration. National Wildlife Refuges, state parks, and public water access points offer legal, safe vantage points. Rivers and large reservoirs hold more eagles than small ponds; the deeper, cleaner, and less disturbed the water body, the more likely eagles will use it for fishing and roosting.

Bald Eagles hunt primarily from perches or while soaring, plunging into water to catch live fish with their talons, their primary prey. They also opportunistically take waterfowl, small mammals, and injured birds. Soaring appears effortless; eagles hold their wings flat and drift on thermals and ridge lift. Perched eagles are silent most of the time, though they are capable of high-pitched yelping calls during territorial disputes and nesting season. Eagles mate for life and occupy the same territories year after year, returning to massive stick nests atop tall trees or cliff faces. In Alabama, breeding typically occurs from November through June, with most eaglets fledging by late May or June.

Immature Bald Eagles have a completely dark brown plumage with no white markings on the head or body. They retain this dark coloring until their fourth or fifth year, after which the distinctive white head and neck gradually replace the brown. The beak and feet are initially dark or pale yellow, becoming fully yellow in adults. The wings remain broad and powerful throughout the bird's life, helping distinguish even dark juveniles from smaller hawk species. A dark bird of enormous size with a massive head and beak is almost always a young Bald Eagle.

Bald Eagles in Alabama have a lengthy breeding cycle compared to smaller songbirds. Pair bonding and nest preparation begin in fall, typically September and October. Eggs are laid during November through early January, and incubation lasts about 35 days. Eaglets hatch from December through March and remain in the nest for 10 to 12 weeks, fledging from April through June. This extended timeline means active nests and dependent young occupy Bald Eagle territories for nearly nine months of the year. Observers should note that approaching an active nest is illegal under federal law and can cause nest abandonment; binoculars from a safe distance are essential for ethical eagle watching.

Male and female Bald Eagles are nearly identical in plumage; both have white heads, dark bodies, yellow beaks, and dark tails. Females are slightly larger and heavier than males on average, but this difference is subtle and rarely clear in field conditions without direct comparison. In mixed pairs, the female typically appears more imposing, but plumage provides no reliable sex distinction. Behavior offers occasional clues, females often stay closer to the nest during breeding season, but in-flight or perched birds cannot be reliably sexed without banding data.

The Bald Eagle is protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act at the federal level, which prohibits hunting, capture, or harm to living or dead eagles, their nests, and eggs. Alabama state law provides additional protections. Unauthorized disturbance of active nests or capture of any Bald Eagle carries substantial federal penalties including fines and imprisonment. This means photography, birdwatching, and casual observation from a distance are fully legal and encouraged, but any action that disturbs a nest or captures an eagle is a serious federal crime. Responsible eagle watching respects distance and avoids breeding season interference.