“Merica” has been spotted flying around a new League City development.
LEAGUE CITY, Texas — A bald eagle is making its presence felt in a new development in the Houston area.
According to League City officials, the majestic bird has been frequently seen visiting the new Legacy subdivision off League City Parkway, near Campbell Elementary School.
Residents in a neighboring subdivision have named it “Merica.”
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Bald eagles are not foreign to Southeast Texas. While it might be uncommon to see them, they are present in the area, especially near rivers and lakes during the winter.
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, there are about 160 active bald eagle breeding pairs in the state.
Here are some more photos of Merica:
More about bald eagles
Bald eagles were taken off the endangered species list in 2007.
Males are usually about 3 feet tall, weigh 7-10 pounds and have a wingspan of about 6-7 feet.
Females can get a little bigger — some reaching 14 pounds with 8-foot wingspans
The predators usually eat fish but also feed on birds, small mammals and turtles.
In Texas, bald eagles nest from October to July, with peak egg-laying happening in December and hatching taking place in January.
Bald eagles are believed to be able to live up to 20 years or more in the wild and are found throughout the United States, Canada and northern Mexico.
Congress made it illegal to shoot or harass bald eagles in 1940 when it passed the Bald Eagle Protection Act.
Read more about the national bird of the United States here.
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