In captivity, Bald Eagles can live nearly as long as humans. In the wild, the average life span is less than half of what it is in captivity. So it's interesting to see that one of the oldest known wild Bald Eagles in North America would be electrocuted at the ripe age of 25.
From the article:
"Once they reach that full adult stage - white head, brown body, white tail - you don't have any idea how old they are," said Steve Lewis, coordinator of raptor management for the Alaska region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The oldest eagle in the country was a 32-year-old bird from Maine. Alaska's oldest documented eagle was a 28-year-old from the Chilkat Valley outside Haines. Lewis suspects most eagles don't approach three decades but proving that with leg bands can be haphazard.
"Banding is one of these things, you put a lot of effort into it and you get little return, but the returns you get are really interesting," he said.
From Anchorage Daily News
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