Bald Eagle Perches Regally On A Tree In Inwood: See It

INWOOD, NY — Inwood is full of surprises, but you still might not expect to bump into a bald eagle. However, Shannon Kelly was in precisely that position on Tuesday when she found herself staring at the magnificent bird perched on a tree in the Upper Manhattan neighborhood.

Kelly snapped a picture of the bald eagle, which was resting next to the boathouse near Indian Road Cafe on 600 West 218th Street.

“I only learned there were eagles in NYC fairly recently - I’d seen a couple flying high in the sky before this, but seeing one so close was definitely an amazing experience," Kelly told Patch.

Kelly mentioned that she wished the picture was slightly less blurry, but residents part of an Inwood community Facebook group thanked and praised her for posting the picture of the eagle to the page. The photo has received over 260 likes in 12 hours.

Here's a bit more information about bald eagles:

• Bald eagles are not actually bald. The bird got its name from an older connotation of the word "bald," meaning a patch of white.
• Bald eagles live 20 to 30 years in the wild.
• Bald eagles build the largest nest of any North American bird, weighing up to 2,000 pounds.
• Bald eagles used to be far more common in New York City, especially near the Hudson River's estuary.
• Bald eagle parents raised their children together.

You can find out more about the New York City Parks Department Bald Eagle Program — here.