The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation on Wednesday shared footage of a rare white bald eagle that was spotted “just in time for that World Cup win” by the U.S. national soccer team over Iran. (See footage below.)
Bald eagles, the national emblem of the United States since 1782, are majestic birds of prey identifiable by their white crowns and tail feathers. The white feathers are in stark contrast to their dark brown bodies and wings.
The Oklahoma sighting involved a leucistic bald eagle. Leucism is a genetic condition in which normal pigmentation does not develop in animals. Leucistic animals are mostly white, but not considered albino.
“Leucistic bald eagles are rare,” the ODWC emphasized in its tweet.
JUST IN TIME FOR THAT WORLD CUP WIN, WE HAVE A LEUCISTIC BALD EAGLE SIGHTING. THIS EAGLE’S ABNORMAL COLOR IS CAUSED BY A GENETIC CONDITION CALLED LEUCISM, WHICH PREVENTS PIGMENTS FROM REACHING ITS FEATHERS.
LEUCISTIC BALD EAGLES ARE RARE.
LOOK AT ‘EM: pic.twitter.com/zywGRSMigA— Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (@OKWildlifeDept) November 30, 2022
The footage was captured by Justin Bailey and the ODWC stated that “while there isn’t any way to confirm that this is the same one that pulled through repeatedly along the Illinois River last year, we’re still PUMPED to have this homie hanging around our neck of the woods.”
Bald eagles are large raptors found throughout North America. They prey mostly on fish, and will often steal fish captured by other predators.
A fun fact courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:
“Had Benjamin Franklin prevailed, the U.S. emblem might have been the Wild Turkey. In 1784, Franklin disparaged the national bird’s thieving tendencies and its vulnerability to harassment by small birds.”
The U.S. national soccer team defeated Iran, 1-0, in a tense match Tuesday to advance to the knockout rounds of the World Cup.
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