Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

Physical description

The golden eagle is a large, dark-brown raptor with long, broad wings and a wingspan up to 7 feet. Males and females are similar in appearance, although females average larger. Adults are entirely dark brown except for a golden rear crown, nape, and sides of neck. Gray bars are on the tail, and rear underparts and upperwing coverts are often paler than other feathers, the latter forming a tawny diagonal bar on the upper wing visible both on flying and perched birds. The bill and talons are black-tipped, fading to slate gray near the base. Feet, "cere" (upper beak membrane), and eye ring are yellow. Adult plumage differs from juvenile and immature birds. An immature bald eagle may be confused for an adult golden eagle. The most striking difference involves the distribution of white coloration in the plumage.  

Ecology and life history

Washington breeding birds are non-migratory. This species is associated with steep terrain and is found mostly in dry open forests of eastern Washington, shrubsteppe, canyonlands, in high-elevation alpine zones of all regions, and sparingly in clearcut areas in western Washington. Shrublands and grasslands, open meadows, avalanche chutes, talus fields and rock outcrops, balds, bogs, recently burned areas, and clearcuts are used as hunting sites.

Image

Photo by National Park Service

Golden eagles hunt for prey in grasslands and shrublands. Preferred prey includes medium to large-sized mammals and birds like hares, rabbits, ground squirrels, and marmots, with mountain beaver being an important prey source in western Washington.

Nests are situated on cliff ledges, rocky outcrops, large trees, or human made structures, such as power poles and transmission towers.  Most eastside nests are on cliffs, while westside nests are above timberline or in very large trees that border on extensive clearcuts. Golden eagle nest sites are typically used year after year, and the pair maintains one or more alternate nests in the territory. Nesting success varies by year and region. 

Geographic range

Golden eagles have a broad distribution throughout the mountainous areas of the state, especially in eastern Washington. Outside of Washington, golden eagles breed over much of the west from Alaska to northern Mexico and east into the Atlantic Provinces. Outside of North America, they occur through appropriate habitat in Asia, Europe, and parts of Northern Africa.

Washington breeding is limited primarily to the Okanogan highlands, rainshadows of the Olympics and Cascades, the Blue Mountains along the Snake and Grande Ronde rivers, and the San Juan Islands. The resident population occurs at low densities in areas where suitable nest sites (cliffs and trees) are found in proximity to abundant prey. There are over 300 documented breeding territories in Washington, of which over 80 percent are in eastern Washington. Occupancy of these sites is not well understood and information on the number of sites occupied in a given year, as well as an estimate of abundance, are currently lacking.

For a map of range-wide distribution and conservation status of this species, check out NatureServe Explorer.