白头海雕的争议在于，其喜欢从其他捕食者口中抢夺猎物，包括鹰、海豹、狐狸、甚至美国渔民。因此被戏称为“零元购”鹰。
美国开国元勋富拉克林1784年给他女儿的信《To Sarah Franklin Bache》毫不讳言对白头鹰的鄙视之情：
个人而言，我真希望白头鹰没有被选作我国的象征。它品性不端，谋生方式也不够光明正大。你可能见过它栖息在河边的枯树上，懒得自己捕鱼，专门窥伺捕鱼鹰的劳动成果。每当这勤劳的鸟儿好不容易抓到一条鱼，准备带回巢中养育伴侣和幼鸟时，白头鹰就会追击它，抢夺其猎物。除了这种不义行径，它还从未显露过好的一面。就像那些靠诈骗和抢劫为生的人一样，它总是一贫如洗，身上还经常生满虱子。此外，它还是个十足的懦夫：比麻雀还小的王鸟都敢大胆地攻击它，将它驱逐出境。
富兰克林的信原文引用如下：
The Gentleman who made the Voyage to France to provide the Ribbands and Medals has executed his Commission. To me they seem tolerably done, but all such Things are criticis’d.
Some find fault with the Latin, as wanting classic Elegance and Correctness; and, since our Nine Universities were not able to furnish better Latin, it was Pity, they say, that the Mottos had not been in English. Others object to the Title, as not properly assumable by any but Gen. Washington, who serv’d without Pay. Others object to the Bald Eagle, as looking too much like a Dindon, or Turkey.
For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his living honestly. You may have seen him perch’d on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and, when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him. With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping and Robbing, he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: the little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country; tho’ exactly fit for that Order of Knights which the French call Chevaliers d’Industrie. I am on this account not displeas’d that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For in Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America. Eagles have been found in all Countries, but the Turkey was peculiar to ours, the first of the Species seen in Europe being brought to France by the Jesuits from Canada, and serv’d up at the Wedding Table of Charles the ninth. He is besides, tho’ a little vain and silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards, who should presume to invade his FarmYard with a red Coat on.
富兰克林认为，他自己更愿意选用火鸡作为美国国鸟，火鸡是美洲独有物种，他认为：“虽然火鸡有点虚荣和愚蠢，但它是一种勇敢的鸟。”
