Common Name: Golden Eagle

Scientific Name: Aquila chrysaetos
(Aquila is Latin for eagle, chrysos is Greek
for golden, aetos is Greek for eagle).

Size: Length: 27-33in Wingspan: 72-87in
        Weight: Female: 4050-5720g (~8.9-12.6lb)
                     Male: 3550-4400g (~7.8-9.7lb)

Lifespan: Golden Eagles have an average lifespan of 18 years in the wild and 45 years or more in captivity.

ID: Both adults and juveniles have very dark bodies. Juveniles have white patches on the middle of both sides of their wings and a reddish head. Adults also have reddish heads and lighter patches on the tops of their wings.

Hunting: They usually hunt from flying at low altitudes or from perches, swooping down and catching their prey.

Prey: They generally eat small animals like rabbits. They can also eat carrion.

Breeding: Golden Eagles build large nests of sticks in elevated locations, such as trees. They breed from March to August, depending on their location. They lay clutches of 1 to 4 eggs, which hatch after 35 to 45 days. The chicks leave the nest after 41 to 85 days, after which it takes 32 to 80 days to reach full independence.

Range: They are partial migrators. They are primarily found in the Western United States, but their summer range extends up to Alaska, and can be found as far east as Quebec.

Status: This is a protected species.