Apart from habitat that is being flown over in migration, the one common factor of the habitats frequented by the Bald Eagle throughout much of the year is the presence of water. It is found throughout a wide variety of climatic zones and ecosystem types that include salt water coastlines, archipelagos, estuaries, arid interior ecosystems, boreal forests, mixed coniferous and/or hardwood forests, wet agricultural lands such as rice paddies or pastures with seasonal standing water, large freshwater swamps with trees interspersed or bordering them, older age wet coastal rainforests and dry interior coniferous forests. Areas that have more extensive land-water interfaces are preferred over areas that lack substantial aquatic habitats. Bald Eagles are absent or in very low numbers as breeders throughout the interior grasslands and prairies of the continent unless a major river, lake or reservoir creates suitable habitat. Foraging habitat within these varying ecosystems tends to be open and spacious with little foraging done under the canopy of adjacent forests.
During the winter, the Bald Eagle will hunt over open country, particularly, but not always when aquatic ecosystems are frozen. Agricultural areas that produce carcasses are favored places to hunt. In Arizona and New Mexico, the Bald Eagle is frequently seen away from water bodies over upland habitat at elevations where the winter weather is more severe. The prey base is more concentrated in these areas than in more temperate locations. Open gravel bars and beaches are preferred over brushy river banks for feeding, but these may also be the places where food resources such as salmon carcasses tend to accumulate. Estuary islands with few or no shrubs but with drift logs or rocks for perching are well-used as are small, rocky islets or wooded islands.
Some key habitat attributes are the presence of water capable of supporting populations of fish or waterfowl, large trees for nesting with clear approach flight paths, snags for perching within 100 feet (31 meters) of watercourses, roosting trees, trees interspersed with open areas, especially near water, and nesting sites that are relatively free of human disturbance. In the Pacific Northwest, the preferred nesting habitat consists of dominant or codominant trees in a heterogenous mature or old growth coniferous stand. Coastal nests tend to be within 600 feet (186 meters) of the shoreline but some may be as far as 1,600 feet (496 meters) inland. Other studies indicate that at least 85% of all Bald Eagle nests are within one mile (1.6 kilometers) of a major water body.
Perches may consist of trees, logs, rocky outcrops, pilings, driftwood, ice, the ground, haystacks, powerlines and fenceposts. A very small percentage of Bald Eagles are seen perching more than 600 feet (186 meters) from a river, lake or water system and most are probably within 100 feet (31 meters). Most tree perches are bordered by at least one edge type ecosystem that is quite open. The Bald Eagle avoids roosting in dark, woody growth and selects large diameter trees with numerous horizontal limbs such as black cottonwoods or Douglas-fir, that offer clear viewing in one or more quadrants. Along rivers, eagles may tend to concentrate on points of land or at bends in the river. Day perches tend to be located close to food sources and although the eagles must be opportunistic about selecting somewhere to perch, preferences are shown whenever choices are available.
Night roosting habitats are not necessarily near water and can be nearly 20 miles (32 kilometers) away from the nearest feeding area, but most are likely within 5 miles (8 kilometers). Protection from wind is a key characteristic of these roosts and if it is not provided by the tree stand, then the aspect and exposure of the site are critical. Leeward slopes or wind-protected canyons or valleys are examples of favored roost locations. Roost tree species vary from many types of conifers through deciduous trees such as cottonwood, elm, willow and oak or maple.
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ùôÇÇîÇÇ Mountains and canyons - Summer
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ùôÇÇîÇÇ Deciduous forests - Summer
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ùôÇÇîÇÇ Coniferous forests - Summer
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ùôÇÇîÇÇ Mixed forests - Summer
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ùôÇÇîÇÇ Wetlands (marshes/swamps) - Summer
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ùôÇÇîÇÇ Riparian (lakes and rivers) - Summer
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