bald eagle

noun

: an eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) of North America that is brown when young with white only on the undersides of the wings but in full adult plumage has white head and neck feathers and a white tail

Illustration of bald eagle

Examples of bald eagle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Endangered Species Act is credited with bringing back iconic animals — including the bald eagle, American alligator and California condor — from the brink of extinction. — Matthew Brown, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026

The Inian Islands, for starters, are one of the most biologically rich places on Earth, with Steller sea lions and bald eagles roaming about. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2026

Congress ultimately adopted this image in the Great Seal of the United States in 1782, with a bald eagle grasping 13 arrows in one foot, and an olive branch representing peace in the other. — Scott Baldauf, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2026

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area is home to the tallest lighthouse on the Oregon Coast (built in 1872), plus picturesque quarries and plenty of wildlife spotting opportunities, from harbor seals to bald eagles. — Sierra Vandervort, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bald eagle

• beagle
• legal
• regal
• riegel
• spiegel
• extralegal
• paralegal
• illegal
• viceregal
• medicolegal

Kids Definition

bald eagle

noun

: a North American eagle which is mostly brown when young but has white head, neck, and tail feathers when mature