The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) needs no introduction. It is a North American bird of prey and the only sea eagle whose range is confined entirely to this continent. It belongs to the order Accipitriformes and the family Accipitridae, a grouping that includes hawks, kites, and Old World vultures. Within the genus Haliaeetus, the bald eagle shares a close evolutionary relationship with the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) of Eurasia.