Golden Eagle

"Aquila chrysaetos"

The Golden Eagle

This huge bird of prey is our second largest after the White Tailed Sea Eagle.

It has long broad wings and tail.

It likes to soar or glide on air currents

and has its wings in a “V” formation.

They are dark brown with lighter golden brown plumage on the nape.

They hunt mainly hares, rabbits, marmots, and use their incredible eyesight to spot their prey before swooping at high speed to snatch them up with their massive sharp talons.

They nest on cliffs and often return to the same nest each year where the female lays up to 4 eggs.

They are incubated for up to 6 weeks.

Only 1 or 2 survive and will fledge in approximately 12 weeks.

They have been widely persecuted and illegally killed and had their nests robbed or have been poisoned and are now a Schedule 1 species.

They are 75 to 88cm in length.

They have a wingspan of between 205 and 220cm.

They weigh between 2.4 to 4.5kg for a male

and up to 6.6kg for a female.

There are estimated to be only 440 pairs of uk breeding birds. They are not migratory but will cover a vast area in search of prey.

It can reach speeds close to 200 miles an hour!