Bald eagles, with their striking appearance and impressive wingspan, are powerful symbols. These birds of prey command attention. Many people hold a preconceived notion about the sounds these magnificent creatures make, yet their actual vocalizations can be quite different from popular belief.
The Actual Sounds of Bald Eagles
Bald eagles produce a variety of vocalizations, which are high-pitched and less dramatic than one might expect. One common sound is the “peal call,” characterized by high-pitched, prolonged cries that can sound similar to those of a gull. This peal often consists of three to five notes, followed by a rapid sequence of six or seven additional notes. Another frequent vocalization is the “chatter call,” which some describe as resembling a snickering laugh. This call typically involves three to four initial notes, separated by short silences, before a rapid series of descending notes.
Juvenile bald eagles also have their own distinct sounds, including chirping or cheeping calls they use as nestlings to beg for food. As they mature, young eagles develop wail and peal calls around four weeks of age. The overall vocal range of a bald eagle is often described as weak-sounding, consisting of whistling or piping notes.
Decoding the Calls: Purpose and Context
Bald eagle vocalizations serve various important purposes, facilitating communication. The high-pitched peal call, for instance, is frequently used by males to signal the approach of other birds or humans. They also employ this call to deter rivals from communal feeding sites.
Communication between mates is also supported by distinct calls. Female bald eagles make a unique, soft, high-pitched call, repeated multiple times, when ready to mate. This vocalization indicates her readiness for copulation. For younger eagles, the cheeping call allows them to communicate needs to their parents. These diverse calls contribute to establishing territories, maintaining social structures within nesting areas, and alerting others to potential threats, all essential for their survival and reproductive success.
The Hollywood Misconception
Many people associate bald eagles with a loud, piercing scream, frequently heard in movies and television shows. This iconic sound is not actually produced by the bald eagle. The distinct, hoarse, and raspy scream, which lasts two to three seconds and descends in pitch, belongs to the red-tailed hawk.
Filmmakers often substitute the red-tailed hawk’s call for the bald eagle’s less dramatic vocalizations to make the eagle sound more intimidating or majestic on screen. This common practice has led to a widespread misunderstanding of what bald eagles truly sound like. Bald eagles produce softer, chirpy, and high-pitched whistling sounds, different from the powerful scream commonly attributed to them.