How to Draw a Bald Eagle Flying

1. Begin the bald eagle flying outline by sketching the eagle's head. Use curved lines to outline the triangular beak. Notice how the lines overlap, forming the opening of the mouth. Shade a small oval to form the nostril.

Extend the top line of the beak to form the bird's brow. Below it, trace several partial circles, shading the smallest - the eye and pupil. Extend curved lines above and below the beak, and connect them with a series of short lines that meet at jagged points. This encloses the bald eagle's characteristic white head.

Did you know? Bald eagles aren't actually bald. The contrast between their brown and white feathers gives them this appearance. Some vultures, however, do have bald heads. Their lack of head feathers is caused by the bacteria in the dead animals they eat.

2. Next, draw the cartoon eagle's extended wing. Use a long curved line for the top of the wing. Then, employ long, narrow "U" shaped lines for the many flight feathers.

3. Detail the wing with the texture of feathers, using connected "U" shaped lines of various sizes.

4. Use a series of overlapping lines to continue drawing long feathers along the bottom of the wing.

5. Complete the first wing by drawing more feathers. Then, begin drawing the second wing. Again, use a long curved line for the top of the wing, and double it back upon itself at the tip. Then, extend another long line from it and double it back on itself, forming the first of the flight feathers. Texture the wing with a series of connected "U" shaped lines.

6. Continue to draw the wing's long flight feathers. For each feather, extend a long line and double it back upon itself. Then, texture the wing with "U" shaped lines of various lengths.

7. Draw more feathers along the bottom of the wing, using overlapping lines.

8. Draw the eagle's body and legs, using overlapping lines and short lines that meet at jagged points. Texture the body and legs with small "U" shaped lines. Then, draw the feet. Sketch "Y" shapes to form the sides of the feet, then enclose additional "U" shaped toes behind them.

9. Complete your bald eagle flying outline by drawing its tail. First, draw two layers of connected "U" shaped lines. Then, use overlapping lines to create the longer tail feathers. Finally, shade a pointed claw on the tip of each toe.

Color your cartoon of a bald eagle in flight. We've shaded ours brown and white with a yellow beak, true to the coloration of bald eagles in the wild.