Eagles tend to pick mature trees far from people to build their nests. When roosting, the birds prefer to sit in the highest trees near water sources. Again, these areas are usually isolated from human activity.

 

Bald eagles require large, undisturbed tracts of forested land near rivers, lakes, and streams, to build their nests. Ideally those nests are 300 to 1,600 feet from any manmade activities or development. Tall and sturdy mature coniferous and hardwood trees can support the huge nests and offer protected areas from which eagles can hunt. Wintering eagles, which do not construct nests here, require that same undisturbed land for safe nighttime roosting. These intact forested areas also protect eagles from wind, rain, and snow, allowing them to stay warm and dry to conserve their energy for hunting.

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The American Eagle Foundation indicates that there are 59 species of eagles in the world, and they live on every continent with the exception of Antarctica. These species are categorized by behavior and diet into four groups: fish eagles, booted eagles, snake eagles and giant forest eagles. With distribution as follows:

• Nearctic (USA and Canada): golden eagle (also found in Palearctic), bald eagle

• Neotropical (Central and South America): Spizaetus (four species), solitary eagles (two spp.), harpy eagle, crested eagle, black-chested buzzard-eagle

• Australia: wedge-tailed eagle (range extends into southern New Guinea), white-bellied sea-eagle (range extends into Asia), little eagle

• New Guinea: Papuan eagle, white-bellied sea-eagle, pygmy eagle