Golden Eagle
The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is a large, dark brown eagle with golden feathers on the nape, found in mountains, deserts and open country across the Northern Hemisphere. It is one of the most powerful raptors.
The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is a large, dark brown eagle with golden feathers on the nape, found in mountains, deserts and open country across the Northern Hemisphere. It is one of the most powerful raptors.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Golden Eagle in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Reptilia lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
Speed and Strength
In a dive (stoop) the eagle can reach speeds of over 200 kilometers per hour. It hunts rabbits, marmots, grouse and sometimes young deer, and can carry prey weighing several kilograms.
Eagle Hunters
Falconers in Central Asia, including Kazakh and Kyrgyz eagle hunters, train female golden eagles to hunt foxes and hares, a tradition going back centuries.
Threats
Lead from ammunition in carcasses, collisions with wind turbines and power lines, and loss of habitat are modern threats. See Bald Eagle.
Golden Eagle at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Aquila chrysaetos |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Accipitridae |
| Field Guide group | Reptilia: Aves (Birds) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Dark brown raptor with golden nape feathers, feathered legs to the toes, and huge talons for taking hares and young deer. |
| IUCN Red List status | Least Concern (LC), assessed 2021 |
| Family | Accipitridae |
| Stoop speed | Over 200 km/h |
See Also
- Bald Eagle — another large eagle
- Harpy Eagle — a rainforest eagle