Winter Birds of Florida

Above and Below: These are thick flocks of Brewer's Blackbirds (Euphagus cyanocephalus). In the evenings it appears that the sky has unzipped and thousands of these birds flood out, heading south. They're primarily a western blackbird but spend their winters as far south as southern Mexico.

To read how one Indiana community deals with flocks of birds that they do not appreciate. . . go to: For This Menace, Only One Thing to Do: Ready, Aim, Fireworks!

I've been seeing more Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).



The Bald Eagle is the National Bird of the USA. The adult, sports a majestic white head and white tail.



It has a massive yellow bill. Its voice is a harsh creaking cackle, kleek-kik-ik-ik-ik, or a lower kak-kak-kak.



The Bald Eagles wing span stretches to 6-7 feet. It is a powerful flier and soars on thermal convection currents.



Bald Eagles are opportunistic eaters, but feed mainly on fish.

Once a common bird on much of the North American continent, the Bald Eagle was severely affected in the mid-20th century by the use of pesticides (in particular DDT). Like many birds of prey, they were especially affected due to biomaginification. DDT, by itself was not lethal to the adult bird, but it interfered with the bird's calcium metabolism, making the bird either sterile or unable to lay healthy eggs.

It is estimated that in the early 18th century, the Bald Eagle population of North America was 300,000 - 500,000. By the 1950s only 412 nesting pairs remained in the contiguous 48 United States.

The species was first protected in the U.S. and Canada by the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty, later extended to all of North America. The 1940 Bald Eagle Protection Act in the U.S., protected the Bald Eagle and the Golden Eagle. . .prohibiting trapping and killing of the birds. It was declared an endangered species in the U.S. in 1967.

DDT is now banned in the U.S. and Canada. India still manufactures and uses DDT, producing 3314 tons of the chemical in 2009 (the most recent statistics available).

Read more about the Bald Eagle at DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE

visit PHILLIP'S NATURAL WORLD II for Zombie stories