Painted

Published

1931

Volume

6

Plate

349

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Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

DESCRIPTION

The GOLDEN EAGLE epitomizes all the rugged virtues man has admired since the dawn of history. At rest or awing he conveys a sense of power and dignity in the contour of his muscular body which fully entitles him to the kingly throne. There are few more inspiring sights than to see one sweeping upward in majestic circles until he disappears. Altho lost to human eyes, the earth is still under his scrutiny and perhaps while we watch the sky where he vanished, a dark dot may take form which increases with astonishing swiftness as the bird shoots toward some quarry he has discerned from that lofty conning tower.

They are so rare in the East that a glimpse of one is more than a red letter day. I have seen but three in fifty years! Last spring (1930) my friend Ed Chase watched one attempting to catch a Black Duck that was raising a family on the Preston Mountain pond about a mile south of my home here in Dutchess county, N. Y.
The Duck lost some valuable time hurrying the youngsters into hiding and the Eagle almost caught it on the first surprise swoop. All birds sense the importance of keeping above a winged enemy and the near victim started one of those perpendicular climbs that the species executes so notably. The Eagle tried to follow but the Duck was too fast and both disappeared behind the hill. Fifteen minutes later the victorious parent slid around the other side of the hill and returned to the youngsters who voiced their relief in tiny quacks of approval. In unsettled parts of the country they are an important check on injurious rodents, particularly, prairie dogs. They do not hesitate to attack animals larger than themselves and their principal food is small mammals.

BREEDING

NEST: a large structure of sticks and dead vegetation, on cliffs and more rarely in large trees. Nest used year after year, sometimes measuring 7 feet across and 5 feet high.
EGGS: usually 2 or 3; dull white, splotched with brown and sienna.

RANGE

North America. Rare east of the Mississippi and in southern part of its range.

golden-eagle
golden-eagle
Golden Eagle
349
bald-eagle
Bald Eagle
352
white-gyrfalcon
White Gyrfalcon
353
gray-gyrfalcon-gyrfalcon
Gray Gyrfalcon, Gyrfalcon
354-354a
black-gyrfalcon
Black Gyrfalcon
354b
prairie-falcon
Prairie Falcon
355
duck-hawk-peale-falcon
Duck Hawk, Peale Falcon
356a-356b
pigeon-hawk
Pigeon Hawk
357
black-pigeon-hawk
Black Pigeon Hawk
357a
richardson-pigeon-hawk
Richardson Pigeon Hawk
357b
aplomado-falcon
Aplomado Falcon
359
sparrow-hawk
Sparrow Hawk
360
desert-sparrow-hawk
Desert Sparrow Hawk
360a
san-lucas-sparrow-hawk-little-sparrow-hawk
San Lucas Sparrow Hawk, Little Sparrow Hawk
360b-360c
audubon-caracara
Audubon Caracara
362
osprey
Osprey
364
barn-owl
Barn Owl
365
longear-owl
Longear Owl
366
shortear-owl
Shortear Owl
367
barred-owl
Barred Owl
368
florida-barred-owl-texas-barred-owl
Florida Barred Owl, Texas Barred Owl
368a-368b
spotted-owl-northern-spotted-owl
Spotted Owl, Northern Spotted Owl
369-369a
great-gray-owl
Great Gray Owl
370
richardson-owl
Richardson Owl
371
saw-whet-owl
Saw-Whet Owl
372
screech-owl
Screech Owl
373
spotted-screech-owl
Spotted Screech Owl
373.1
xantus-screech-owl
Xantus Screech Owl
373.2
florida-screech-owl-texas-screech-owl
Florida Screech Owl, Texas Screech Owl
373a-373b
california-screech-owl-kennicott-screech-owl
California Screech Owl, Kennicott Screech Owl
373c-373d
rocky-mountain-screech-owl-mexican-screech-owl
Rocky Mountain Screech Owl, Mexican Screech Owl
373e-373f
aiken-screech-owl-macfarlane-screech-owl
Aiken Screech Owl, Macfarlane Screech Owl
373g-373h
flammulated-screech-owl
Flammulated Screech Owl
374
great-horned-owl-western-horned-owl
Great Horned Owl, Western Horned Owl
375-375a
arctic-horned-owl
Arctic Horned Owl
375b
dusky-horned-owl-pacific-horned-owl
Dusky Horned Owl, Pacific Horned Owl
375c-357d
dwarf-horned-owl-labrador-horned-owl-saint-michael-horned-owl
Dwarf Horned Owl, Labrador Horned Owl, Saint Michael Horned Owl
375e-375f-375g
snow-owl
Snow Owl
376
hawk-owl
Hawk Owl
377
burrowing-owl-florida-burrowing-owl
Burrowing Owl, Florida Burrowing Owl
378-378a
pygmy-owl
Pygmy Owl
379
hoskins-pygmy-owl
Hoskins Pygmy Owl
379.1
california-pygmy-owl
California Pygmy Owl
379a
ferruginous-pygmy-owl
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl
380
elf-owl
Elf Owl
381
carolina-paroquet
Carolina Paroquet
382
thickbill-parrot
Thickbill Parrot
382.1
groovebill-ani
Groovebill Ani
384
roadrunner
Roadrunner
385
mangrove-cuckoo-maynard-cuckoo
Mangrove Cuckoo, Maynard Cuckoo
386-386a
yellowbill-cuckoo-california-cuckoo
Yellowbill Cuckoo, California Cuckoo
387-387a
blackbill-cuckoo
Blackbill Cuckoo
388
coppertail-trogon
Coppertail Trogon
389
belted-kingfisher
Belted Kingfisher
390
texas-kingfisher
Texas Kingfisher
391
ivorybill-woodpecker
Ivorybill Woodpecker
392
hairy-woodpecker-northern-hairy-woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Hairy Woodpecker
393-393a
southern-hairy-woodpecker-harris-woodpecker
Southern Hairy Woodpecker, Harris Woodpecker
393b-393c
cabanis-woodpecker-rocky-mountain-hairy-woodpecker
Cabanis Woodpecker, Rocky Mountain Hairy Woodpecker
393d-393e
queen-charlotte-woodpecker-newfoundland-woodpecker
Queen Charlotte Woodpecker, Newfoundland Woodpecker
393f-393g
southern-downy-woodpecker-gairdner-woodpecker
Southern Downy Woodpecker, Gairdner Woodpecker
394-394a
batchelder-woodpecker-downy-woodpecker
Batchelder Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker
394-394bc
nelson-downy-woodpecker-willow-woodpecker
Nelson Downy Woodpecker, Willow Woodpecker
394d-394e
redcockade-woodpecker
Redcockade Woodpecker
395
texas-woodpecker-san-lucas-woodpecker
Texas Woodpecker, San Lucas Woodpecker
396-396a
nuttall-woodpecker
Nuttall Woodpecker
397
arizona-woodpecker
Arizona Woodpecker
398
whitehead-woodpecker
Whitehead Woodpecker
399
arctic-threetoe-woodpecker
Arctic Threetoe Woodpecker
400
threetoe-woodpecker
Threetoe Woodpecker
401
alaska-threetoe-woodpecker-alpine-threetoe-woodpecker
Alaska Threetoe Woodpecker, Alpine Threetoe Woodpecker
401a-401b
yellowbelly-sapsucker
Yellowbelly Sapsucker
402
rednape-sapsucker
Rednape Sapsucker
402a
redbreast-sapsucker-northern-redbreast-sapsucker
Redbreast Sapsucker, Northern Redbreast Sapsucker
403-403a
williamson-sapsucker
Williamson Sapsucker
404