Last Updated on June 16, 2022 Posted by Colonial Acres Coins

2022 $30 Multifaceted Animal Family Bald Eagles Silver Coin

Canada is home to some magnificent forms of wildlife, and the bald eagle is one of the most majestic. Though often associated with the United States, which claims it as its national bird, the bald eagle is also native to Canada and important to its ecosystem. Therefore, it makes sense that the Royal Canadian Mint has produced a coin to celebrate these fascinating raptors. The $30 Animal Family Bald Eagles coin depicts an aspect of the birds’ lives that most people don’t get to observe: raising their offspring.

What Is Special About the Bald Eagle?

The bald eagle is not the only eagle species found in North America, but it is the only eagle that is not found anywhere else in the world. It ranges throughout the 48 contiguous United States as well as most of Canada and Alaska.

The bald eagle gets its name from the word “piebald” which means patchy or spotty. The feathers covering most of its body are brown, but those on the tail and the head are white. These patches of lighter-coloured feathers are what give the bald eagle its name. Bald eagles can live for approximately 20 years, and their head and tail feathers do not turn white until they are approximately five years old.

Bald eagles are apex predators, meaning that they are not hunted by other animals for food and have few natural enemies. They feed primarily on fish, so they like to make their homes near bodies of water, preferably as far away from human habitations as possible.

In the mid-20th century, the bald eagle population experienced a rapid decline. This was due to several factors, but one of the most serious was the use of a pesticide called DDT, which caused the eagles’ eggshells to become thinner, making them too fragile to survive. At one point, bald eagles were severely endangered, but conservation efforts such as banning the use of DDT have helped the population to recover.

What Is Bald Eagle Family Life Like?

Bald eagles form long-term mating relationships, although if one partner dies, the survivor may mate with another eagle. Out of all the birds in the world, bald eagles build the largest nests, preferring to make their homes in large trees that are near the bodies of water where they catch their food. Bald eagles return to the same nest site year after year. A nest can last about five years, but when an old nest is no longer usable, the pair of eagles will build a new one on the same site.

Bald eagles lay eggs, typically between one to three at a time, in February, and the babies, called eaglets, hatch in April or May. The eaglets are covered in fluffy grey feathers. Both parents share responsibilities for hatching the eggs and taking turns incubating them. Once the eggs hatch, one parent typically stays at the nest to protect them while the other hunts for food, then they trade off.

What Is Significant About the Coin’s Design?

Images of bald eagles typically focus on their strength, power, and grace, but most depictions show solitary eagles. This coin depicts an adult eagle returning to its nest to care for its three eaglets, which is an unusual perspective on eagles.

The bald eagle is a complicated creature, and the coin reflects this with its multifaceted design. Created by Steve Hepburn, a Canadian artist, the multifaceted aspect of the reverse image makes the eaglets and their parents appear three-dimensional. The illusion of three dimensions carries over to the abstract polygonal design in the background of the obverse behind the Queen’s portrait.

Commemorative Canadian coins each celebrate something special or important about Canada, and this coin is no exception. Find it for sale at Colonial Acres Coins.