The adult Bald Eagle can be distinguished by the white of its head and tail. This colouration is fully developed by the time a bird is about four years old.

Adult males have a body length of 76 to 86 cm (30 to 34 in.) and a wingspan of 178 to 210 cm (70 to 83 in.). Females are larger: their bodies are 89 to 94 cm (35 to 37 in.) and their wingspan is 198 to 225 cm (78 to 88 in.).

The Bald Eagle is more a scavenger than a predator. It subsists mainly on fish, and most of its food comes from what it finds cast onto shore. It occasionally makes its own kills, and, when fish are not available, it may take a few birds.

This majestic bird is found across all of southern Canada, but is most common on the Pacific coast. The Bald Eagle's range also extends northward into Alaska and southward into the rest of the continental United States.