Bald Eagle

A white feathered head, neck, and tail are the distinguishing characteristics of the adult bald eagle. The distinguishing adult feathers typically appear at the age of four. The remainder of the eagle plumage is dark brown. The heavy yellow beak and distal one-half to two-thirds of the yellow tarsus are bare of feathers. The bald eagles can be found throughout North America.

Eagles are usually associated with dominant or co-dominant trees in both the nesting and wintering periods. The vast majority of bald eagle nests can be found within one-half mile of water and are rarely located greater than two miles from water. Nests, constructed primarily of sticks with other material added for lining, are almost exclusively found in live trees. Wintering sites consist of very large perch trees that are usually located near open water or in close proximity to other available prey items.

Bald Eagles have nested in Gregory, Brown, Yankton, Bon Homme, Spink, Charles Mix, Union, Robert, Sanborn, Hutchinson, Bennett, Lyman, Marshall, Clay, Minnehaha, Hughes, and Meade Counties in SD. The bald eagle winters regularly in large numbers along the Missouri River from Pierre to Yankton and in scattered locations across the state.

• Distribution of Bald Eagle Nests in South Dakota - Adobe PDF
  
  
• Construction projects located within a half mile of active bald eagle nests may have special provisions to reduce impact or disturbance to the nesting eagles.