Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus cruising near Boston. Not much of a mountain bird, the Bald Eagle tends to roost near large bodies of water - it eats a lot of fish, though it also eats carrion and any unwary mammals or birds it may snatch. Nevertheless, it high cruising altitude and the frequency of lakes and rivers in mountainous areas of Maine mean that New England mountaineers will spy them from time to time. Adult bald eagles are easy to recognize - they are the only birds of their size with a bright white head and tail. At longer distance, they can be distinguished from turkey vultures because the latter soar with a dihedral (V-shaped) wing posture, whereas eagles soar with wings held horizontal. This photo was taken mid-stroke during powered flight. This one is a sub-adult: the scattering of white feathers under the wing is a juvenile trait, and it also has an incompletely white tail (hard to see in this photo).