Do Golden Eagles ever spend time in groups? (1 Viewer)

[wizdomSeeker]

A few weeks ago, I saw a group of very large dark birds in the top of a couple of large trees I've been trying to identify. There were 10 or 15 of them. We have lots of turkey vultures in the area, but these seemed different. I think they were Golden Eagles. But everything I've read says that Golden Eagles are solitary or might occasionally be seen in pairs. But never groups. I'd like to get some other opinions if these were Golden's or not. A lot of that will come from answering whether or not you'll ever see that many together. Maybe they migrate in groups? It was early spring in upstate New York.

The reason I think these were Goldens and not Turkey Vultures is their heads looked bigger and more hawk like with a pronounced hook to the beak. They were dark, not a single white head (like a bald eagle) among them. There were vocalizations coming from their direction that sounded like an eagle or hawk screech. Maybe vultures do that too? And there were a few small birds bothering them while they were sitting in the tree. I've never seen small birds pester vultures but I always see it with hawks. So I would assume these were birds they were threatened by.

So? What do you think? Did I actually see a group of Golden Eagles?

 

[Farnboro John]

Would immature Bald Eagles (which do roost communally sometimes) not fit?

John

 

[KC Foggin]

Hi there and a warm welcome to you from those of us on staff here at BirdForum :t:

I've never read anything on a group of Golden Eagles this size so hard to say. Here is an article I sent my brother (in Margaretville, NY) on a Golden Eagle he had seen and was quite surprised seeing one recently.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7096.html

It would be great if you could get an image of this group.

 

[wizdomSeeker]

Photo and video

Immature bald eagles is certainly a possibility. We do have a few bald eagles in the area.
Here is a photo. Its from a cell phone a bit far away. But maybe someone else will pick up something I didn't. There's also a video that has their calls very faintly (and my Father-in-law talking very loudly!). Not sure if the linking will work properly for me.


https://plus.google.com/u/0/113724184708772227612/posts

 

[eddy the eagle]

About 20 years ago when I lived in Granada Province Spain,I saw a small group of golden eagles and if my memory serves me right there was two adults, two second calendar juveniles and two third calendar immatures.The most I have ever seen together and I assume a large family group but they were about 15 K from the original nest site.But to ASSUME is to make an ASS of U and ME....Eddy

 

[MJB]

Immature bald eagles is certainly a possibility. We do have a few bald eagles in the area. Here is a photo. Its from a cell phone a bit far away. But maybe someone else will pick up something I didn't. There's also a video that has their calls very faintly (and my Father-in-law talking very loudly!). Not sure if the linking will work properly for me.

The photo suggests birds that are noticeably short-tailed, which indicates Bald Eagle over Golden Eagle, but the lack of sharpness may have biased my guess!
MJB

 

[Simon Wates]

Over the years I've had many (easily 200+) observations of Golden Eagle - most often by far as singles or pairs, just occasionally 3 or 4 birds (4 birds last week). On one occasion I watched 5 birds together. The multiple records were always in flight and never perching/roosting - they are not a very social species - they maintain large (20 sq kms + typically) territories and harass other Goldens that approach.

Also, I agree that on your photo they look more like Bald Eagles - too squat for Golden I believe.

 

[Farnboro John]

The photo suggests birds that are noticeably short-tailed, which indicates Bald Eagle over Golden Eagle, but the lack of sharpness may have biased my guess!
MJB

I must admit that something about them indicated Bald Eagle to me too. Jizz may be out of fashion these days but sometimes its all you have. I'd be surprised if they aren't.

John

 

[pianoman]

We saw quite large groups of Bald Eagle on Vancouver Island some years ago, usually on the shoreline. If Golden were as locally common as that then perhaps they would do the same thing. I've never been anywhere that Golden could be described as common!

 

[Peregrine69]

Golden Eagles seen together in groups more often would be fantastic - I've also been privileged to see 5 together...was with Simon Wates on a birding trip and it was a day's bird watching I won't forget. They were all juveniles if I recall although there was also an adult pair in the same area as well. For good measure, the same afternoon produced 5 maybe 6 Imperial eagles and several Bonelli's. At one point, all several of all 3 species interacting together close enough to observe without binoculars. Felt very lucky that day - Simon, thank you! But back to the topic, most I've ever seen together otherwise was an adult pair with single juvenile. Regardless of the species you saw though, must have been a great sight to see them all together!

 

[Nutcracker]

Photo with 4 immature Goldies guarding prey from a couple of Steller's Eagles, in Kamchatka:

http://shpilenok.livejournal.com/41559.html

Would be incredible to see!

 

[emortell]

I photographed a pair of Bald Eagles along with juvenile offspring in Litchfield ME on 7/10/2014. The links below depict photographic examples of both adult and juvenile bald eagles. The last two (#4 & 5) are the juvenile.

http://www.edwardmortell.com/images/Bald-Eagle-watermarked1.jpg
http://www.edwardmortell.com/images/Bald-Eagle-watermarked2.jpg
http://www.edwardmortell.com/images/Bald-Eagle-watermarked3.jpg
http://www.edwardmortell.com/images/Bald-Eagle-watermarked4.jpg
http://www.edwardmortell.com/images/Bald-Eagle-watermarked5.jpg

 

[Bird-Nut]

I've seen 7 golden eagles together 'hanging in the air' together on the Isle of Skye on one occasion; and 5 together on the Isle of Lewis on another. Both groups were comprised of a pair of adults and juveniles of differing ages.