Pilot house eagles were typically carved from wood, but cast-iron and bronze figures are known to exist. Pilot house eagles were typically depicted with head thrust forward and wings outstretched. The effigies varied in size, some with a wingspan as large as five feet, with most averaging three feet. Many wood carvers included intricate detail such as feathers, and the wings were usually carved separately to be later attached to the eagle’s body. The eagles sometimes were given a gild finish which made them an attractive sight and noticeable at a distance on a bright sunny day. Carvers were known to have signed their names on the bottom of their sculptures with a few notable late nineteenth century names being Joe Bowers, Samuel Robb and John Bellamy working out of the New York area.

In the 1920s, tugboats began taking advantage of on board generators and batteries to power searchlights. The logical place to mount the searchlight is on top of the pilot house, so the eagles found themselves either removed entirely or relocated behind the light as seen with Ten Cents and Hercules. By the 1930s pilot house eagles became a rare sight. Several were salvaged for display in American east coast maritime museums.  A few pilot house eagles can still be seen today on Dalzell Towing Company tugs in New York, New York (see picture below)