Wildlife of the Week: Bald Eagle, American Alligator, & American Beautyberry

Time for a wildlife of the week post! This week, we're learning about the Bald Eagle, the American alligator, and American beautyberry. Let's go!

Bald Eagle:

Seeing a Bald Eagle is always special. This one was in a park, high up on a tree, the wind ruffling its wings. It is striking to me how big Bald Eagles are. Their wingspan alone is typically 6-8 feet.^[1] Imagine someone you know who is 6 feet tall, and then think: an Eagle's wingspan can get even bigger than they are!

Now, obviously Bald Eagles can use those wings to fly, but did you that they can use them to swim?^[2] They don't swim often,^[3] and it's a far cry from the graceful, gliding through the water motion of an Anhinga, but a Bald Eagle can use their wings to lurch themselves forward on the water, sort of like they're doing butterfly stroke. Want to see for yourself? Check out this video of a Bald Eagle swimming from the user 3 Rivers Fishing Adventures.^[4] Apparently they sometimes swim because they've caught a great meal that's too heavy to fly with but that they don't want to let go of.^[2]

Bald Eagles are found everywhere in the United States, but they are most common in Alaska.^[2] Alaska is also home to Golden Eagles, which can look similar to Bald Eagles when they are both juveniles.^[5] One way to tell them apart is that juvenile Golden Eagles have feathers on their legs while Bald Eagles do not.

Common Name: Bald Eagle

Scientific Name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Order: Accipitriformes

Family: Accipitridae

Seen: Perched in a tree

Month: April '24

American Alligator:

 

These three young alligators were cuddled up together on what looked like a bump of vegetation on a lake. Since alligators are cold-blooded, they have to use the environment around them, like the air and water, to help control their body temperatures.^[6] They like to lay in the sun to get warm!^[7]

Baby alligators are roughly 8-9 inches when born, and when they need something (food, protection, etc.), they grunt for mom!^[6,8] She stays with them for up to the first two years of their life.^[6,9] Many animals, including birds, will prey on baby alligators.^[10] For their own prey, young alligators can go hunting for small things to eat, like minnows and snails.^[11] As they get bigger, they'll graduate to eating almost anything they can, and adult alligators will eat things like turtles and birds.^[11,12]

 

Common Name: American Alligator

Scientific Name: Alligator mississippiensis

Order: Crocodilia

Family: Alligatoridae

Seen: Cuddled together on a bump of vegetation on a lake.

Month: January '25

American Beautyberry:

I always like seeing American Beautyberry. Its large, uniquely-shaped leaves make it easy to identify even when it's not fruiting. Then in the fall, it offers a splash of color with pretty purple fruits.^[13] Several songbirds, such as the Brown Thrasher and Purple Finch, love the fruit, so it is a true "bird bestie." Other animals, like armadillos, foxes, and white-tailed deer, are also fans.^[13]

American Beautyberry can reach an impressive height: typically it is between 3-5ft tall, but it can get up to 8ft tall and wide.^[14] And on top of all that, it is a Florida native plant! 

 

Common Name: American Beautyberry

Scientific Name: Callicarpa americana

Order: Lamiales

Family: Lamiaceae 

Month: September '24 (first two photos) and June '25 (last photo)

Learn More:

Eagles:

1. Alsop, F. J. (2002). Birds of North America (American ed.). Dorling Kindersley Limited.
2. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. (n.d.). Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus): Species profile. 
3. Wildlife and Heritage Service. (n.d.). Maryland birds: Bald eagle. Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
4. 3 Rivers Fishing Adventures. (2015, May 4). Bald eagle swimming [Video]. YouTube.
5. Alaska Department of Fish and Game. (n.d.). Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos): Species profile.
   
   Alligators:
6. Texas Parks and Wildlife. (n.d.). Gator facts. 
7. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2022, April 7). Alligators thermoregulators.  
8. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. (n.d.). Alligator size guide. 
9. Cooperative Research Units. (ca. 2017) Alligator hatchlings. U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey. 
10. Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries. (n.d.). American alligator.  
11. Texas Parks and Wildlife. (n.d.). Brazos Bend State Park - Alligator nest.
12. Everglades National park Florida. (2025, March 7). American alligator: Species profile. National Park Service. 
    
    American Beautyberry:
13. Brakie, M. (2010). American beautyberry: Callicarpa americana L. [Fact sheet]. USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, East Texas Plant
    Materials Center.
14.  UF/IFAS Center for Land Use Efficiency. (n.d.). Beautyberry. Gardening Solutions.