Eagle's feathers change with age

The American bald eagle has a mostly black beak for the first two years. As a 3-year-old, its beak will turn yellow. Most all feathers on a 1-year-old bald eagle are dark brown. A 2-year-old will show mostly white feathers on its chest and the feathers on its head will begin to show white at the tips. This bird is a 2-year-old American bald eagle. I found it on Nov. 16, the day after a rare early snow that fell while colorful oak leaves still clung to the limbs. The eagle sits on the limb of a white oak tree. Blue patches on the limb at the eagle's feet are a kind of native foliose lichen commonly found on trees in Southeast Missouri.