Saturday, September 29, 2012

Pi

Pi - Immature Bald Eagle
This handsome fellow is Pi. Pi is one of our education birds at The Raptor Center. He may look a bit different then many of the bald eagles that you have seen before. That is because Pi is just beginning to become an adult. Bald eagles do not reach maturity until they are around 5 years old. While they are immature they look quite different. Their feather are mostly brown, although some do get a mottling of white feathers on their wings and/or chest. Immature eagles also have a dark silvery beaks and brown eyes. PI is about 4 years old. With this years molt he has begun to get his adult plumage. This process usually takes 2 or 3 molts to complete and since they molt each feather only once a year the entire process will take a couple of years or more.


11 comments:

Ivanhoe said...

So handsome! Thank you for the insight on the eagles. I did not know anything about them. Except that they are majestic :)

carol l mckenna said...

He is absolutely beautiful! What a wonderful photo! ~ (A Creative Harbor)

DeniseinVA said...

I am so happy to see a photo of a young Bald Eagle. He's a beauty!

Katy said...

What a wonderful photo! It's amazing how close you can get for that shot. My parents have a cabin in northern Idaho, and there is a bald eagle nest in eyesight from their house. I've tried to photograph them before, but I've never been able to get such a good shot. Well done!

rainfield61 said...

It is beautiful being a juvenile.

And will be more beautiful after growing up.

Lighthousegal said...

He is quite the handsome fellow. Great close up shot.

Pia said...

Pi is a beauty! I never saw an eagle in nature, here are just buzzards and falcons around. But I love to take photos from them.
Liebe Grüße,
Pia

Cheryl said...

He's quite handsome and already has that statuesque and noble look common to all eagles.

Nancy said...

I didn't realize it took that long for them to mature. He's a beautiful teen.

Thank you for sharing with us at Your Sunday Best. xo

Liam said...

I love him! He is so cute! :):):)

Anonymous said...

He is adorable.