Golden Eagle

goldeneagle: COMMON NAME: Golden Eagle

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Aquila chrysaetos

DESCRIPTION:

The golden eagle is named for the way the feathers on the nape of its neck glisten in the sun. Almost equal in size to the bald eagle, the golden eagle is 33-38” tall with a 70-86” wingspan. They are light brown in color with dark brown eyes, a brownish bill and a faintly banded tail.

Also called the American war bird or the bird of Jupiter, golden eagles fly with an average speed of 28-32 mph and can dive at up to 200 mph. They are protected under the Bald Eagle Protection Act of 1962.

LIFE HISTORY:

Mating can occur anywhere from mid-January to mid-September. Pairs usually mate for life. Females will lay 1-4 eggs, which are dull white and spotted or blotched with brown or red. There are 35-45 days of incubation. After they are hatched, stronger eaglets have been known to kill their weaker siblings. They fledge at 9-10 weeks and leave the nest after another 30 days.

ECOLOGY:

Golden eagles live throughout California and have a home range of about 35 square miles. Pairs will not nest every year and usually rotate between many nests. They have been known to have up to 10 separate nests, which are 8-10’ across and 3-4’ deep. They are usually found in mountainous areas, canyons, shrub-land and grassland.

Golden eagles eat ground squirrels, jackrabbits, small mammals, birds and reptiles. They can carry up to 8 lbs. and cannot carry away small children.

animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu, the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
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