How can Bald Eagles survive in northern areas after all the lakes have frozen?

Bald Eagles are able to fast for many days, even weeks, when food is not available. Photo by Nancy Clark via Birdshare. — Bald Eagles are able to fast for many days, even weeks, when food is not available. *Photo by Nancy Clark via Birdshare.*

As much as eagles enjoy fresh fish, they will also catch mammals, birds, and dine on carrion and garbage. It may be disconcerting to see the emblem of the United States of America eating at a dump or at a carcass on the side of the road, but the ability of eagles to exploit a wide range of food choices is one of the keys to their success. They can also gorge when food is available, ingesting large amounts of food and digesting it over several days; this enables then to survive fasting for many days, even weeks.