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First of all, bald eagles are not bald.

Some people say this bird was given the name "Bald eagle" because the lighter feathers on its head make the bird appear bald from a distance. In fact, the word "bald" comes from the old English term "balde" which originally meant white, not hairless. The bald eagle's scientific name, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, stands for:

sea (halo), eagle (aeetos) and white (leukos), as in the feathers on the eagle's head. So there you have it, the bald eagle is a seabird with a white head.

Bald comes from the old word balde, meaning white, and as you probably know Bald Eagles have white head and tail feathers. So Bald Eagle basically means White Eagle.

They have white feathers on their heads.

From a distance this made it look like they had no feathers on their heads, and they appeared to be bald.

The bald eagles name comes from Latin. The scientific name means sea eagle with a white head. Long ago the word "bald" meant "white" not lack of hair.

Haliacetus Leucocephalus

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9y ago

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More answers

the white hair on the top of the eagle's head makes it look like it's bald

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Wiki User

15y ago
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Because at a distance, the white head makes the bird look bald.

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Wiki User

16y ago
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Q: How did the bald eagle get its name?
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