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(taxonomy, refs, behavior) |
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Breeds in small numbers in the mountains of [[Morocco]], [[Algeria]] and [[Tunisia]]. | Breeds in small numbers in the mountains of [[Morocco]], [[Algeria]] and [[Tunisia]]. | ||
| − | '''Middle East''': | + | '''[[Middle East]]''': |
Breeds in very small numbers in [[Sinai]] and [[Israel]], and across much of [[Turkey]] and the Caucasus. The first breeding record for [[Jordan]] was in 1990. | Breeds in very small numbers in [[Sinai]] and [[Israel]], and across much of [[Turkey]] and the Caucasus. The first breeding record for [[Jordan]] was in 1990. | ||
| − | ''' | + | '''Asia''': Range extends from the Urals east to the Pacific coast of [[Siberia]], [[China]], [[Korea]], and [[Japan]]. |
'''Movements''': Northernmost birds, particularly juveniles, move southwards in winter. Wanderers from the north of [[Scandinavia]] are seen annually in [[Denmark]] but rarely further south. Other migratory birds are occasionally seen at Gibraltar and the Bosphorus. In the east a vagrant to south-east [[China]]. | '''Movements''': Northernmost birds, particularly juveniles, move southwards in winter. Wanderers from the north of [[Scandinavia]] are seen annually in [[Denmark]] but rarely further south. Other migratory birds are occasionally seen at Gibraltar and the Bosphorus. In the east a vagrant to south-east [[China]]. | ||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
| − | + | Golden Eagle is closely related to [[Verreaux's Eagle]], [[Gurney's Eagle]], and [[Wedge-tailed Eagle]]. | |
====Subspecies==== | ====Subspecies==== | ||
| − | Six races recognised: the nominate ''chrysaetos'' in Europe and western Asia, ''canadensis'' in north-east Siberia and [[North America]], smaller and darker ''homeyeri'' in Iberia and north-west Africa, ''kamtschatica'' in Ynisey and Mongolia to north-east China and Kamchatka, ''daphanea'' in [[Iran]] to Central Asia and the Himalayas, and ''japonica'' in [[Korea]] and [[Japan]]. | + | Six races recognised<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>: the nominate ''chrysaetos'' in Europe and western Asia, ''canadensis'' in north-east [[Siberia]] and [[North America]], smaller and darker ''homeyeri'' in Iberia and north-west Africa, ''kamtschatica'' in Ynisey and Mongolia to north-east China and Kamchatka, ''daphanea'' in [[Iran]] to Central Asia and the Himalayas, and ''japonica'' in [[Korea]] and [[Japan]]. |
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
| − | Golden Eagles are able to tolerate varied habitats including high mountains, hills, and lowlands, where sufficient amount of prey is available. They nest on rocky cliff faces or in large trees, hunting in forest, forest edge and areas of open grassland, heather, or semi-desert. In areas with human persecution, they tend to be limited to inaccessible areas. | + | Golden Eagles are able to tolerate varied habitats including high mountains, hills, and lowlands, where sufficient amount of prey is available. They nest on rocky cliff faces or in large trees, hunting in open forest (less frequent), forest edge and areas of open grassland, heather, or semi-desert. In areas with human persecution, they tend to be limited to inaccessible areas. |
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| − | + | In areas where the birds are resident year round, the pair often stay together throughout the year, but pairs may break up. Pair bonding is ensured by several behaviors, including aerial display, pair flights and soaring, perching together, and copulations both during and outside of breeding season. | |
| − | + | The nest consists of heavy tree branches, lined with grass, leaves, moss, lichens, or other soft materials, and is placed in a large tree or on a rock ledge (more rarely on ground or on man-made structure). The nest is large and gets larger east year it is used. The birds most often have more than one nest in their territory, and will reuse a nest unless they have been disturbed in the previous attempt. | |
| − | The female lays two eggs between January and May | + | The female lays an average of two eggs between January and May; laying period depends on location and is often timed to the abundance of the preferred prey at the location: in [[Alaska]] the young hatch about the same time that the marmoset wakes up from hibernation and the birds are ready to migrate when the marmosets go back to hibernation. Hatching takes place 40-45 days after laying, and because the female starts incubating after the first egg, hatching is asynchronous. Therefore, the offspring differ in size; if food is less abundant all but the first nestling will perish. Hatchlings are greyish-white, covered with down. Fledging takes place between 45 and 81 days later ([[US]] data); at this time most feathers are developed, but as the flight feathers are not fully developed at fledging, earliest hunting attempt about one month after fledging. Young stay with parents for at least two month in migratory populations, and sometimes much longer in areas where the birds stay year round. |
| − | + | This species uses perch hunting, high soaring, or contour hunting depending on landscape, weather, and available prey species; most prey is captured on the ground or for birds, low over the ground. Mammals constitute 80-90% of prey. They feed primarily on hares and large rodents, and other similarly sized mammals and birds, but they take a wide variety of prey. They are able to kill animals up to the size of sheep, [[Canada Goose]] or [[Sandhill Crane]]. Carrion make up a significant part of their food, and in season, they will rob nestlings from nests of larger birds. Golden Eagles are capable of pair hunting, but at least in one study, the success rate was lower than for a bird hunting alone. | |
====Vocalisation==== | ====Vocalisation==== | ||
<flashmp3>Aquila chrysaetos (song).mp3</flashmp3><br /> | <flashmp3>Aquila chrysaetos (song).mp3</flashmp3><br /> | ||
''[[Media:Aquila chrysaetos (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | ''[[Media:Aquila chrysaetos (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==References== | ||
| + | # Clements, James F. 2007. ''The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World''. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019 | ||
| + | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
{{GSearch|Aquila+chrysaetos}} | {{GSearch|Aquila+chrysaetos}} | ||
Revision as of 02:12, 4 May 2010
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- Aquila chrysaetos
Identification
Adult Golden Eagles range widely in size across their range. The largest races comprise the largest eagles of the genus Aquila. Length may vary from 66 to 100 cm (26-40 in), wingspan can range from 150 to 240 cm (59-95 in), often exceeding 2 meters (7 feet), and weight is from 2.5 to 7 kg (5.5-15.4 lb). As in all birds of prey, the females are generally slightly larger than the males.
The overall body plumage color ranges from black-brown to dark brown, with a striking golden-buff crown and nape, which gives the bird its regal name. The juveniles closely resemble the adults, but have a duller, more mottled appearance. Also, and most noticeably, they have a white-banded tail and a white patch at the carpal joint, that gradually disappears with every moult until full adult plumage is reached in the fifth year. The amount of white the wings of juvenile Goldies varies even among individuals, and some show white on the upperside of the wings. Golden Eagles of all ages have fully feathered tarsi (legs) all the way down to the toes.
Distribution
North America, Europe, northern Asia and North Africa. The most numerous and widespread Aquila eagle.
North America: Breeds over most of Alaska and in Canada except south-central and south-eastern parts. In the USA found in hilly and mountainous areas throughout the west and south to California and north and central Mexico. May also breed in very small numbers in the northern Appalachians. In winter occurs from southern Canada south to Mexico and in small numbers in the eastern USA but rare as far as Florida.
Europe: Breeds in north and west Scotland, most of Norway, north Sweden, in small numbers in south Sweden and Denmark (first record in 1999), Gotland, and north and central Finland. To the east breeds in northern Poland, Estonia, Belarus and north Ukraine, and in western and Arctic Russia. Further south breeds in parts of southern France, on Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily, in the Alps and Apennines, in the Carpathians and at scattered sites throughout the Balkans, and Crete. Widespread in Spain but nearly extinct in Portugal. In the UK, very small numbers are now breeding or at least attempting to do so in south-west Scotland and northern England. For more than thirty years there has been a breeding pair at Haweswater in the Lake District of England and in recent years the RSPB has run an observation centre from a safe distance. Access to the valley is prohibited but good views are possible with a telescope in clear weather.
Africa: Breeds in small numbers in the mountains of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
Middle East: Breeds in very small numbers in Sinai and Israel, and across much of Turkey and the Caucasus. The first breeding record for Jordan was in 1990.
Asia: Range extends from the Urals east to the Pacific coast of Siberia, China, Korea, and Japan.
Movements: Northernmost birds, particularly juveniles, move southwards in winter. Wanderers from the north of Scandinavia are seen annually in Denmark but rarely further south. Other migratory birds are occasionally seen at Gibraltar and the Bosphorus. In the east a vagrant to south-east China.
Taxonomy
Golden Eagle is closely related to Verreaux's Eagle, Gurney's Eagle, and Wedge-tailed Eagle.
Subspecies
Six races recognised[1]: the nominate chrysaetos in Europe and western Asia, canadensis in north-east Siberia and North America, smaller and darker homeyeri in Iberia and north-west Africa, kamtschatica in Ynisey and Mongolia to north-east China and Kamchatka, daphanea in Iran to Central Asia and the Himalayas, and japonica in Korea and Japan.
Habitat
Golden Eagles are able to tolerate varied habitats including high mountains, hills, and lowlands, where sufficient amount of prey is available. They nest on rocky cliff faces or in large trees, hunting in open forest (less frequent), forest edge and areas of open grassland, heather, or semi-desert. In areas with human persecution, they tend to be limited to inaccessible areas.
Behaviour
In areas where the birds are resident year round, the pair often stay together throughout the year, but pairs may break up. Pair bonding is ensured by several behaviors, including aerial display, pair flights and soaring, perching together, and copulations both during and outside of breeding season.
The nest consists of heavy tree branches, lined with grass, leaves, moss, lichens, or other soft materials, and is placed in a large tree or on a rock ledge (more rarely on ground or on man-made structure). The nest is large and gets larger east year it is used. The birds most often have more than one nest in their territory, and will reuse a nest unless they have been disturbed in the previous attempt.
The female lays an average of two eggs between January and May; laying period depends on location and is often timed to the abundance of the preferred prey at the location: in Alaska the young hatch about the same time that the marmoset wakes up from hibernation and the birds are ready to migrate when the marmosets go back to hibernation. Hatching takes place 40-45 days after laying, and because the female starts incubating after the first egg, hatching is asynchronous. Therefore, the offspring differ in size; if food is less abundant all but the first nestling will perish. Hatchlings are greyish-white, covered with down. Fledging takes place between 45 and 81 days later (US data); at this time most feathers are developed, but as the flight feathers are not fully developed at fledging, earliest hunting attempt about one month after fledging. Young stay with parents for at least two month in migratory populations, and sometimes much longer in areas where the birds stay year round.
This species uses perch hunting, high soaring, or contour hunting depending on landscape, weather, and available prey species; most prey is captured on the ground or for birds, low over the ground. Mammals constitute 80-90% of prey. They feed primarily on hares and large rodents, and other similarly sized mammals and birds, but they take a wide variety of prey. They are able to kill animals up to the size of sheep, Canada Goose or Sandhill Crane. Carrion make up a significant part of their food, and in season, they will rob nestlings from nests of larger birds. Golden Eagles are capable of pair hunting, but at least in one study, the success rate was lower than for a bird hunting alone.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Aquila chrysaetos (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Golden Eagle. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 17 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Golden_Eagle
