Vital Statistics about Golden eagle:
Well, after knowing the name, you must want to know more facts about this hunter. Let’s do some rapid fire rounds.
Scientific name: Aquila chrysaetos
Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Aves
Average life Time: Maximum 30 years
Diet: Carnivores
Weight: Male- 6 to 15 lbs, Female- 10 to 12 lbs
Length: Around 7.5 ft
Speed: up to 200 miles/hour
Nature of Golden Eagle:
These birds really avoid developed area and love to live near wild and forest area. They build their nest on cliffs or vegetable filled location and primarily stay 12,000 feet above from the ground. That’s why they prefer mountain or riverside cliffs. Forest, grasslands are the most favorable places for their daily growth.
Food Habit:
This North American bird is very foodie and hunters by nature like raptors. Their extreme power actually can hunt down a full-size deer. Rabbits, fish and other primitive birds are in its primary food list. Once a Golden Eagle approaches to its target, rodents and reptiles start praying on their livestock. But they can’t survive in front of the bird’s supreme hunting strength. The speed of fly and terrific eyesight allows them to track down the target easily. You can compare their snatching speed with a bullet and it would become a strong fight to declare the winner.
Conservation and population range:
Golden Eagles are one of the listed protective species around the world. The alarming threat is that its population number doesn’t increase from 1966 to till 2015. The study conducted by the largest species research firm named North American Breeding Bird Survey. So the countries imposed some justifiable laws regarding harming these eagles where these nests are found. The survey revealed that more than 70% death caused by humans, which can’t be overlooked. As we still remain their greatest threat, we should really care their nests and eggs.
Afghanistan suffered to finalizing it’s national symbol. After 12 unsuccessful tries, the country fixes Golden Eagle as their national bird. So from 1900s until 1978 literally this royal bird struggled a lot to gain the top-most position.