AN IMMATURE BALD EAGLE FLYING OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT LOCK AND DAM NO. 25 NEAR WINFIELD, MISSOURI
EAGLE FACT(S)
AN IMMATURE BALD EAGLE IS SOMETIMES MISTAKEN FOR A GOLDEN EAGLE. HOWEVER, IMMATURE BALD EAGLES HAVE MORE WHITE MOTTLED INTO THEIR COLORATION OVERALL. EAGLES MOLT IN PATCHES, TAKING ALMOST HALF A YEAR TO REPLACE ALL OF THE FEATHERS. MOLTING STARTS WITH THE HEAD AND WORKS DOWNWARD. IT IS NOT UNTIL THE FOURTH OR FIFTH YEAR THAT THE WHITE HEAD AND TAIL FEATHERS AND THE BLACKISH-BROWN BODY FEATHERS GROW IN.