The golden eagle lives all over the Northern Hemisphere, including North America, Europe, Asia, and parts of North Africa. These beautiful eagles can be found all over the United States, especially in the west, where they live all year. Golden eagles are partly migratory birds that can be found in a wide range of open areas, especially near mountains and ravines.
Golden eagles are huge birds of prey that are about the same length and weight as the American bald eagle but have slightly longer wings. Golden eagles are strong birds that can weigh more than 6 kilos and grow to be more than 93 centimeters (3 feet) long and 220 centimeters (87 inches) wide. These beautiful birds of prey are about the same size as the bald eagle, which is the national bird of the United States. Adults of the two species are usually easy to tell apart, but a young bald eagle might look like a young golden eagle from afar. The two kinds of eagles usually hunt in different places and for different kinds of food, so they rarely have to compete with each other.
In general, female golden eagles are bigger than males, which is true for many kinds of raptors. The weight, body length, wing length, tail length, toe length, and talon length are all different.
Golden eagle wingspan and size
Golden eagles are 33.1 inches tall and can weigh up to 13.5 pounds, no matter what gender they are. Their wings are long and wide, like those of a hawk, but bigger. A golden eagle’s wings span between 5.9 – 7.7 feet. With an average wing span of 7.2 feet, they are among North America’s biggest birds. In 2007, a female was caught in the wild and tagged in Teton National Park. She weighed 17 pounds, which is the record for a wild-caught individual.
There have been bigger ones in captivity that were often used for falconry. The length of one bird was 9.25 feet, and it weighed 27 pounds. The birds used in falconry are bred to be big and heavy. This is why they are bigger than their wild cousins.
The golden eagle is a big bird with feathers that range from dark brown to light brown. Their name comes from the fact that the feathers on the back of their neck and head have a small golden sheen. When they are young, they have white spots near their tail and on their wings. As they age, these spots turn brown.
Golden Eagle weights
The golden eagle and the more familiar bald eagle are both big, heavy birds of prey. The average weight of an adult golden eagle is between 3.125 kg and 6.125 kg (13.5 lbs and 6.6 lbs). The female golden eagle is about 40 percent larger than the male golden eagle.
- Female golden eagles’ weight
- Weight range: 3.6-6.7 kg (8-15 lb)
- Average weight: 4.8 kg (10.6 lb)
- Male golden eagles’ weight
- Weight range: 2.8-4.6 kg (6-10 lb)
- Average weight: 3.7 kg (8.2 lb)
Interesting facts about golden eagle
They can dive at up to 320 km per hour (200 mph).
Only the peregrine falcon is quicker than the golden eagle, and even then, the difference is not that great. The golden eagle is rated second in the world when it comes to raw speed.
Golden eagles have the ability to reach speeds of over 200 miles per hour while in a straight, vertical stoop. This is a hunting strategy that they utilize to capture huge, high-flying birds such as storks and geese.
They are also one of the quickest birds in horizontal flight, capable of reaching speeds of up to 80 miles per hour (130 kilometers per hour). The fastest flight speeds of birds have only been documented for a select few species.
A golden eagle can eat almost any animal.
The golden eagle is a very capable generalist predator that has been documented as taking down over 400 different types of prey in its lifetime. These prey items include mammals, birds, fish, and insects.
When there is a lack of food, they are willing to take on huge, potentially hazardous prey; in fact, they have been seen capturing bear cubs and seal pups.
Golden eagles from all over the world look different
There are now six different subspecies of golden eagles that are still alive and found around the world.
Eagles from many parts of the world, including Europe, North America, North Africa, Siberia, the Himalayas, and Japan, all have distinct physical characteristics. When compared to the European golden eagle, which is the nominate subspecies, Himalayan golden eagles are often the biggest, although the coloration of Japanese golden eagles is significantly darker.
Golden eagles are powerful and quiet
Golden eagles are the most reticent of all the eagle species; in fact, their calls are rarely heard at any time other than while they are tending to their young. On the other hand, when they do interact verbally with one another, they are known to create at least nine different cries, each of which has a particular meaning.
Golden eagles are wary of humans despite their intimidating appearance
Golden eagles suffered extensive stigmatization as a result of the industrial revolution, which ultimately led to their extinction in a significant portion of their natural habitat, notably in Europe.
Because golden eagles are very sensitive to human disturbance and will travel to great lengths to avoid densely inhabited regions, their existing range will forever be altered by human persecution. Golden eagles live with many other species of eagles, but golden eagles are not one of those species.
Their baby birds are called “eaglets.”
Chicks of the Golden Eagle will hatch in the order that their eggs were deposited. It’s common for the older chicks to bully and even kill their smaller siblings when they have the chance. The killing of one’s own sibling is known as siblicide and occurs often among birds.
The young birds are nourished in the nest by their parents until they are old enough to take their maiden flight, which normally occurs during the first 90 days of their lives.
They are life partners
It’s a challenging job that takes parents who are dedicated and willing to put in a lot of effort to raise their young, and the best way to ensure that you’ll be successful at it is to select a reliable partner and stick with them.
Golden eagles have lifelong bonds with their mates, staying in the same area their whole lives and returning year after year to the same nest.
By nature, golden eagles are lazy
Golden eagles, like other apex predators across the planet, confront a simple but persistent danger to their survival: they never know when they will acquire their next meal. This is a situation in which they are not alone.
It is believed that they spend at least 85 percent of their waking hours sitting on perches because it is very necessary for them to preserve as much energy as possible between hunts. Because of this, it is extremely crucial for them to conserve as much energy as possible between hunts.
Their head can turn 270 degrees
Even though their eyes don’t move very much in their sockets, golden eagles are able to twist their heads like owls, which contributes to their superb eyesight. Golden eagles also have quite large eyes.
They have vision that is far superior to that of humans during the day, but their vision at night is really not dissimilar to that of humans, which is why they hunt during the day.
They are the fifth largest eagle in the world
The wingspan of a golden eagle may measure up to 2.3 meters (7 feet 8 inches), making it one of the largest raptors in the world.
The Asian golden eagle, commonly known as the Himalayan golden eagle or the berkut, is the biggest subspecies of the golden eagle family. Females are bigger than males.
The golden eagle is the most widespread kind of bird on Earth
There is a good chance of spotting a golden eagle in any hilly environment found in the Northern Hemisphere.
This is primarily attributable to their extraordinary versatility, which enables them to locate and successfully hunt prey in a broad array of environments in which they are found.
Which kinds of foods do golden eagles eat?
Golden eagles can catch food that is bigger than they are by using their great strength and flying skills. Medium-sized animals like hares, rabbits, squirrels, marmots, and rodents are their best foods. Golden eagles have been seen killing and eating things like cranes, deer, and even a few domestic animals. Arctic foxes, which live in the north, are also a popular meal.
Golden eagles have been seen killing animals that are much bigger than them. Often, they do this by knocking them off a cliff. Seals, mountain goats, sheep, wolves, and big cats have all been seen dead after being killed by them. They are good at getting fish as well as big animals.
