We Need Your Help!

A female, adolescent Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus Leucocephalu) will soon be calling the Maryland Zoo home. She came to us from The National Aviary in Pittsburgh and will be living in an exhibit space next to Polar Bear Watch. Before she moves into her new space in mid-July, she needs a name! That’s where you come in. Choose your favorite name from the list below and cast your vote using the form at the bottom of the page. Voting will begin July 4th and end July 14th. The eagle’s name will be announced when she moves into her new home later in July.

Here are some facts about our eagle to help you get to know her before picking a name:

  • She is likely about 5 years old
  • She was originally found in North Carolina in 2009, and after attempts to rehabilitate and release her into the wild she was deemed non-releasable.
  • Due to her young age, the feathers on her head are not uniformly white yet, but mixed with brown.

Names:

The following finalists were selected by the Zoo keepers who will care for the eagle:

  1. Scout — as in Eagle Scout
  2. Sioux (pronounced “Sue”) — in honor of the Native American and First Nations people in North America
  3. Migisi — Chippewa for eagle
  4. Annie — for Annie Oakley, the American marksman and exhibition shooter
  5. Vega — a constellation in the summer sky also known as the “Swooping Eagle”

and her name is … VEGA!!!

Your votes have been counted and you decided that the Zoo’s new bald eagle should be named Vega, which is a constellation in the summer sky also known as the “Swooping Eagle.” Vega is now on exhibit at the Zoo and can be seen in the Polar Bear Watch across from our polar bears. She’s a young eagle who still has some remnants of juvenile plumage. Her head feathers will continue to change until they are soon all white. She’s a wonderful new addition to our Zoo family and we hope you can come visit her soon.

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