Bald Eagle
Learn to identify the Bald Eagle by ear. Master the "klee-klee-klee-klee" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.
What the Bald Eagle sounds like
Thin metallic notes break into a quick cackle, with a few other call shapes mixed in. The voice sounds surprisingly small for such a large bird.
How to tell it apart
Lessons featuring the Bald Eagle
Ready to test your ear? Practice identifying the Bald Eagle's sounds in this interactive in-app lesson.
Start Learning Free
Where you'll hear it
Bald Eagles live across much of North America. Many stay year-round near reliable water, while northern birds often shift south or gather where open water and fish remain available in winter.
Look for them near big water—lakes, rivers, reservoirs, estuaries, and rugged coasts—where fish are plentiful and tall perches are close by. They like big trees, snags, cliffs, and anywhere they can watch the water from above.
Spring brings courtship flights, nest repairs, and the start of a very long nesting season. In winter, numbers can swell around open rivers, dams, coastlines, and salmon runs, where eagles may gather in impressive groups.
How to recognize it by sight
A Bald Eagle looks built from bold strokes: huge wings, a blocky body, and a heavy bill that seems made for power. Adults flash a bright white head and tail against chocolate-brown plumage, while younger birds wear a mottled brown-and-white patchwork that can surprise first-time birders.
Similar species
Golden Eagle
Usually found more often over open country, mountains, and cliffs than big water.
Turkey Vulture
Holds wings in a shallow V and rocks side to side while soaring.
Osprey
Much smaller, with narrower wings and a crook at the wrist that gives an M-shaped look.