The Royal Eagle
The golden eagle is one of the most powerful predatory raptors in the world as it stands second only to the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja). It is considered the king of birds of prey. Known for its distinctive silhouette, it has an impressive wingspan. Zoom in on this amazing bird, its agility and speed are phenomenal.
Characteristics of the golden eagle
The Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) belongs to the Eagle family. It is a bird of prey, also called bird of prey. It lives in Europe, North Africa, North America, and Asia. In mainland France and Corsica, it can be observed in the mountains.
Its body has dark brown feathers, while the feathers of the down jacket are golden brown to reddish-brown, that is, the collar adorns its neck and head. Its hooked beak is 6.5 cm long, gray in color, and surmounted by a yellow operculum called the wax.
The beak is powerful, and its shape is unique to raptors, and it can shred its prey with its impressive claws and thumb oars. It was this 7 cm long pointed claw that pierced the victim's body.
This majestic raptor has keen eyesight about eight times better than humans. It is a great predator of marmots, rabbits, weasels and even foxes, and even lambs. The golden eagle can indeed kidnap any alpine fauna that weighs twice its own weight.
The life expectancy of a golden eagle is around 25 years.
Dimensions of the golden eagle
Its wingspan can reach 2.35 m and is always slightly larger in females. It weighs about 6.5 kg in females and 4 kg in males: there is, therefore, a strong sexual dimorphism in terms of size. As for the length of the tail, it is equal to the width of the wings.
The largest specimens are over 1 m long. However, there are differences between golden eagles living in the wild and those in captivity. These have larger measurements. In this very busy raptor for falconry, the wingspan is over 2.80 m and the weight is 12 kg.
Flight of the golden eagle
Watching the golden eagle in full flight is absolutely mesmerizing. A simple flapping of the wings is enough to make it hover for hours at 90 km/h, forming a giant circle in the sky, and it can reach heights of more than 6,000 meters. If it spots its prey, it suddenly swoops down, and at those exact moments, it swoops down at an amazing speed of 320 km/h. In regular flight, it moves between 50 and 130 km/h.
Reproduction of the golden eagle
This monogamous raptor usually mates with a female in its lifetime.
The pair spent almost a month and a half building their nest on top of a mountain, but beware, the nest has an overhanging shelter. To make the space comfortable, males and females use moss, bark, grass, lichens so that their offspring can be born and grow in a warm and soft cocoon.
During its lifetime, the golden eagle can build five nests, reusing one or another year after year. Each time, the area is redeveloped, so we sometimes find eagles' nests several meters high. The largest recorded golden eagle nest is over 6m high and around 2.60 in diameter.
December begins a period dedicated to courtship displays, which arrive at full speed and constitute a real spectacle. In the spring, the female lays up to 4 eggs in a few days, the white shells of the eggs are dotted with brown, and she hatches on average in 42 days, or between 35 and 45 days depending on atmospheric conditions.
During this incubation period, the males spend time defending their territory and finding food to support their mates.
Two weeks after the eggs hatch, there is usually only one eaglet left, which is the hardiest of the litter, as the young are very aggressive towards each other. This phenomenon, which occurs frequently in diurnal raptors, is known as cainism.
The first feathers appear between 40 and 80 days. The bird took its first flight at 10 weeks, but before leaving the original nest, it returned to hunt prey that its parents had killed for it. Kitty eagles do not become independent until they are 20 to 22 weeks old. But he had to wait until he was 4 to 7 years old to reach sexual maturity.
Since 1981, the Golden Eagle has been fully protected throughout France. The current decree officially prohibits their capture, detention, dismemberment and destruction.
Its transport is also prohibited, whether the raptor is alive or dead. Of course, the sale and purchase of a golden eagle is prohibited.