ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. -- Previously only overwintering here, a pair of bald eagles began nesting at Woods Reservoir at Arnold Air Force Base for the first time in 2009. They have built two additional nests since then, but only use one at any given time.
Two or three eaglets have fledged from nests around Woods Reservoir almost every year since.
The bald eagle is a large raptor, 30-43 inches tall, with a wingspan of 7 to 8 feet. Bald eagles typically live over 20 years and mate for life. Known for being the national bird of the United States, the bald eagle is found from Alaska to California and from Maine to Florida. They most commonly feed on fish and various waterbirds, like coots and ducks, but will also eat the occasional roadkill.
Young eagles are dark brown and are easily mistaken for golden eagles. They don’t develop the typical white head and tail feathers until they are 3 to 5 years old. The young birds tend to disperse to other areas prior to the next nesting season.
The bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list in 2007, a great achievement for conservation efforts, but it is still protected from harm by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
The bald eagle nest at Woods Reservoir is checked weekly from the time nesting is initiated, usually in February, until all the young have fledged from the nest about three months later. These numbers are reported to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.