64 Golden Eagle

• A group of Golden Eagles are called a; Aerie / Convocation / Jubilee /  Soar / Tower.
• These are one of the largest birds of prey.  I have seen one as tall as a fence post, not knowing what was standing there, it lifted off the ground, my brother and I could not believe the wings size and span.
• They eat small to mid sized mammals, birds and amphibians.
• In Eurasia they have been used for falconry.  They have been trained to hunt large mammals like the grey wolf. Yes, I said the grey wolf up to 100 pounds.  This is one bird not to mess with.  It has been known to attack people who come too close to their nest.

 

• Nest are huge, up to 6 feet across off the ground on cliff faces or in the tallest of trees.  They lay 3 to 4 eggs.
• They are protected birds, even having a feather is a felon. But the Hopi tribes of North America have special permit to use these birds in special ceremonies where the birds are raised to adulthood and sacrificed.
• They can fly up to 30 to 80 miles per hour and dive at speeds of 150 miles per hour or greater.  They can have a territory of up to 60 square miles.
• They generally hunt in pairs.
• Their talons can exert a pressure of up to 750 psi, or 15 times greater than mans.  I don't want to shake hands with this bird.

• Very small birds or mammals will use the nest for protection because their size doesn't intrest this large bird.
• They are long lived for a bird. 28-32 years in the wild and up to 45 years in captivity.
• Lots of people mistake a juvenile Bald Eagle for a Golden Eagle. Things to look for; the larger size, full dark brown color, golden brown head and neck, yellow talons, feathers right down to the talons, white pattern on wings in flight, your dog or brother missing, (just kidding).  Some Golden Eagles may not have this white on the wings depending on region.