Baby Bald Eagles have a lot to learn before they reach adulthood. While still in the nest, they practice fanning their wings and jumping into the air to test their strength. When they’re finally ready for their first test-flight, the fledglings sometimes land unceremoniously on the ground until a parent offers further encouragement. Juvenile Bald Eagles are roughly the same size as their parents, but all their feathers are a mottled chocolate brown. They take three or four years to mature into the iconic adult plumage with the distinctive white head and tail.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org.

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. 

BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.

 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.