A relatively common Nearctic owl, the Barred Owl inhabits mature mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, often near streams or wooded swamps. This owl nests primarily in cavities, with both parents helping to care for the young until the autumn. Barred Owls have a varied diet of small mammals and birds. Barred Owls are, unfortunately, susceptible to collisions with automobiles as the owls may attack prey on roads passing through their forested territories. But, this species has been expanding its range from eastern North America all the way to the West Coast.

The American Crow occurs in a wide range of habitats in North America and can be found in rural farmland, suburbs, and even urban and residential areas. This species requires little more than large trees for roosting and nesting, and open ground for foraging. Much of the success of the American Crow lies in its highly varied and flexible diet, which may include fruits, nuts, seeds, insects and other invertebrates, small vertebrates of many kinds, carrion, and even human food scraps. A member of the Corvid family, American Crows are known for their intelligence and cunning. Young have been observed playing with objects they find on the ground and “log-rolling”: running atop an object like an empty cup or soda can. Their nest is a large stick nest high in a tree. The American Crow is not of conservation concern.

A smaller egret, the Eastern Cattle Egret is named for its habit of stalking insects and other small prey disturbed by herds of cattle moving through and grazing in grassland habitats. Egrets will fly to a grass fire from far away in order to catch fleeing insects, and they even forage at airports, waiting at the edges of the runways for airplanes to pass and blow insects out of the grass. A worldwide phenomenon, the Eastern Cattle Egret is renowned for having colonized without human assistance three continents in just the last hundred years! This world-traveling species inhabits a wide variety of open drier, grassy habitats such as fields, pastures, and rice paddies, and so has likely benefited from agricultural disturbances. The Eastern Cattle Egret nests colonially often and is sometimes present in mixed colonies with other species of herons, cormorants, storks, and ibises.

Harris’s Hawks are a deep chestnut brown with yellow markings that make them stand out. They are a very social species, and have been observed raising young and hunting—an unusual trait for a raptor species! While on the hunt, a group of Harris’s Hawks will descend on their prey and flush it. Harris’s Hawks can be found throughout Mexico and parts of the southern United States.

The Golden Eagle, named for the golden feathers on its nape, is a resident of the New and Old Worlds, and occurs in a wide variety of open habitats, from desert areas to the edge of the tundra, and from sea-level to high alpine mountain levels. It is one of the largest birds in North America. It generally avoids forested areas, except in the winter, and nests on cliffs, isolated trees, or other structures. The Golden Eagle forages primarily on small to medium-sized mammals. Although not considered to be globally threatened, this species is frequently a victim of shootings and poisonings. Many are killed by collision with power lines and, in certain areas, wind turbines.

The Bald Eagle is one of the most readily recognizable birds in North America. They are also one of the largest, with the biggest females reaching 13 pounds or more. And, since 1782, the Bald Eagle has been the national bird of the United States. Bald Eagles are also one of the most well known conservation success stories in the world. In the mid-20th century, Bald Eagle populations suffered a steep decline as a result of persecution, habitat loss, and the introduction of a pesticide called DDT. Large predators, like Bald Eagles, ended up with high concentrations of DDT in their bodies, affecting the birds’ ability to lay eggs with properly formed shells. By 1978, only an estimated 400 Bald Eagle pairs remained in the continental U.S.

Under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, and with reintroduction efforts and the ban of the use of DDT, Bald Eagle populations recovered. In 2007, the Bald Eagle was officially removed from the federal Endangered Species list. There are more than 200 known breeding pairs in Pennsylvania, including two nests in the greater Pittsburgh area, at the Hulton Bridge in Harmar and the Keystone Iron & Metal in Hays.

The Bald Eagles at the National Aviary sustained injuries in the wild that would limit their chances of survival in the wild. They have a comfortable home at the National Aviary where their every need is met, and they serve as ambassadors for their species.