The Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. They prefer the open country rather than forests and can be spotted in desert grasslands, and above the timberline.
The Golden Eagle
Description
The Golden Eagle is among the largest of all the eagles. It measures from 26 to 40 inches in length and has a wingspan of 59 to 95 inches. As with many Falconiformes, the female is considerably larger than the male.Their coloring ranges from black-brown to dark brown, with a golden crown. There are some lighter, irregular areas on their wings and an irregular band on white on their tail. Juveniles resemble the adults, but they have a larger band of white on their tail as well as some white patches at the base of their carpal joint. The juvenile's markings gradually disappear as they mature. They are sporting full adult plumage by the fifth year.
Golden Eagle
GOLDEN EAGLE
Golden Eagle
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Range and Habitat
The Golden Eagle can be found in the Western United States and Canada. They Prefer open areas rather than forests and can be spotted in grasslands, deserts, and mountainous areas. Golden Eagles living in the northern part of their range will move south when food supplies become scarce, but they are not considered a migratory bird. Did You Know?
When Golden Eagles mate, they mate for life.
Mating and Nesting Habits
Golden Eagles usually mate for life. They build their nests on cliffs or at the top of tall trees. The nests are made of heavy branches and lined with grass. Some pairs will use the same nest every year while other alternate between two or more sites. With each use, the nests grow in height and diameter. Older nests can be as big as 6 ½ feet in diameter and three feet high.The female usually lays 2 eggs and incubates them for 41 to 45 days. The eaglets are white are totally dependent on their parents for another 45 to 50 days. Although 2 eggs are laid, the last to hatch rarely survives. The extra couple of days of growth gives the older sibling the advantage. The eaglet usually fledges between 9 and 11 weeks.
The Golden Eagle
Did You Know?
The Golden Eagle is a solitary bird. They do not congregate in large groups, even in the winter. They will occasionally form hunting partnerships with each going their own way once the job is done.
Diet
The Golden Eagle is a carnivore. Their prey includes mice rabbits, other birds, as well as deer, livestock, lambs and goats. If prey is scarce, they will join other scavengers using carrion to supplement their diet.They have very good eyesight and spot prey from long distances. Most prey is taken on the ground using their talons to capture and kill. They frequently joint together forming hunting partnerships with one driving the prey toward the other.
The Golden Eagle in Flight
The Golden Eagle
Conservation Status
The Golden Eagle's numbers are declining due to loss of habitat, but are not currently on the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants. 100 Animals to See Before They Die
by Nick Garbutt
Marking a new departure for Bradt, this full color, large format title builds on the brand's reputation for ethical travel and conservation, presenting a compendium of 100 of the world's most endangered mammals.Each animal is accompanied by full color pictures, a distribution map, and easily understood text about its characteristics, the issues it faces, conservation work taking place, visiting responsibly, and organizations to contact to assist with conservation work.
This is a must-have title for anyone with any interest in the welfare of our planet and the protection of some of its most endangered species.
100 Animals to See Before They Die (Bradt Guides)
Did You Know?
The Golden Eagle's hunting territory can extend up to 160 square miles.
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As we go through life, some sights and events have a profound impact on our lives, while others flitter past unnoticed. Some passions can be traced back to that single pivotal point while others grow seemingly unnoticed for years. I am a morning pers...
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Busy Lizzy's Aquatic Birds
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Aquatic birds live on or near bodies of water. They acquire their food from the water, the shorelines, or animals within the same region. They include seabirds, such as gulls, pelicans, albatrosses, and ducks, swans and geese.
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Busy Lizzy's Birds of Prey
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Birds of Prey or Raptors are birds that usually hunt on the wing. They use their keen sense of sight to spot prey, swoop down, and capture it. They usually have large, powerful beaks and talons for tearing and piercing the flesh of their prey.
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Have you seen any interesting birds lately?
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Ges
Wow! The vid with the eagle throwing the goat off the cliff is fantastic. Great lens. Posted September 20, 2008 |
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CubicleJoe
My favorite bird!!! - The bald eagle. The first time my wife and I saw Bald Eagles in the wild was on Cadillac Mountain in Bar Harbor Maine. Absolutely majestic! Very nice tribute lens to the Bald Eagle. Posted August 30, 2008 |
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lccoach
Very inspiring lens. Many things to learn from the Golden Eagles.. enjoyed watching the videos too. Posted August 10, 2008 |
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The_Homeopath
Every so often I catch a glimpse of a Golden down by the Platte River. Welcome to the All About Colorado group, we're happy to have both the Golden Eagles and your 5* lens among us!! Posted August 06, 2008 |
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hale02
Great lens! Eagles are wonderful, thanks for all the info! 5** Posted August 05, 2008 |
Resources used to construct this page
Peterson, T.P. & Peterson, V.M. 2002. Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, N.Y.
Carolina Raptor Center
Western North Carolina Nature Center
Golden Eagle, Birds of Nova Scotia
Golden Eagle, Peregrine Fund
