The American Bald Eagle

c. Human

Believe it or not, a bald eagle’s tongue is a lot like a human’s tongue. Their tongue is pinkish, quite narrow, and flexible. Although their tongue is shorter than ours, it helps them to lift, pull, and swallow food just like we do. It fits nicely in their beaks, and is also short enough that they can’t easily bite it.

c. 35 days

It takes approximately 35 days for an eaglet to hatch from an egg. During that incubation period, one of the parents will turn the egg every 2 to 4 hours. This prevents the yolk from rising to the surface and allowing its delicate blood vessels to stick to the inside of the shell, which could kill the chick.

c. Return it to the National Eagle Repository.

All eagles molt after the breeding season in late spring or early summer. If you find their feathers, send them to the National Eagle Repository, located in the Rocky Mountains and run by the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Repository stores eagle feathers–protected under U.S. law–to give to Native Americans who have a permit for their use in traditional or important ceremonies.

a. A Muppet

Sam the Eagle is a Muppet who works behind the scenes of The Muppet Show and is the show’s self-appointed censor and advocate for cultural and educational acts. He is regularly appalled by the baloney that passes for entertainment these days (but he’d gladly eat some baloney, should you have any.)