BTO BirdFacts - Golden Eagle


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Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos [Linnaeus, 1758]


	Order: Accipitriformes	Family: Accipitridae
	BTO Codes: EA, GOLEA	EURING No: 2960
	Number in Britain: 442 pairs (Summer)
	Conservation Status:
	UK: AMBER
	European: 3 Concern, most not in Europe; Rare
	Global: Least Concern
Links to: Images Videos Sound

Status in UK: (A) Resident Breeder
Subspecies: chrysaetos recorded in Britain (of 7 subsp. in the world)
.
Length: 82 cm	Wingspan: 212 cm	Weight: M: 3.7 kg F: 5.3 kg

Scientific name from:	L.: aquila=an eagle and Gr.: khrusos=gold + aetos=an eagle
World Distribution:	Locally in Europe, Asia & North America

Habitat:	Tundra, moor, open coniferous forest
Diet:	Mostly mammals or birds, taken both alive or as carrion
TitBit:	Contrary to common belief, eagles are unlikely to carry off lambs (or babies), as they would never fly - a brown hare (c. 6-7lbs) is probably represents their limit

Population and Distribution

	Population Trend:	No population trend available
	Distribution:	No distribution maps available

British Population Size:

Summer: 442 pairs in 2003 Eaton, M.A. et al. (2007) Bird Study 54:212-220

First Record: 10th Century [Fossil evidence from early Holocene, up to 10,000 yr ago]

Latest Survey: Eaton, M.A. et al. (2007) Bird Study 54:212-220

Conservation Status: AMBER because Species of European Concern, Eaton, M.A. et al. 2009. British Birds 102:296-341

Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 AMBER Gregory, R.D. et al. 2002. British Birds 95:410-448

1996-2001 AMBER Gibbons, D.W. et al. 1996. RSPB Conservation Review 10:7-18

Races of Concern: chrysaetos AMBER (European Concern)

Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):

No habitat data from BBS

European Population Size:

Summer: 7900 to 10 thousand pairs Bufield, I. & Van Bommel, F. (2004) Birds in Europe. Birdlife International, Cambridge.

Population Assesment from Birds in Europe

Distribution in Europe

Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: WCA(I,IV), WBD(I), Bern(III), Bonn(II), CITES(II)

Survey Results:


Breeding and Survival

Egg Size: 75 x 58 mm	Egg Weight: 142.0 g (of which 10 % is shell)

Number of Nest Records: 14
Clutch Size: 2 eggs

Incubation: 43- 45 days		by the: Female (occ. Male)
Fledging: 65 - 70days		as: Altricial, downy

First Clutches Laid: Unavailable
Number of Broods: 1

Number Ringed: 26
Adult Survival: 0.950
Juvenile Survival: 0.150 (to age 4 )

Age at First Breeding: 4 years	Typical Lifespan: 23 years
Maximum Recorded Age: 15yr 10m (Sweden: 32yr 0m)


Other Names



Gaelic: Iolaire-bhuidhe	Welsh: Eryr Euraid
Danish: Kongeørn	Dutch: Steenarend
Finnish: Maakotka	French: Aigle royal
German: Steinadler	Hungarian: Szirti sas
Icelandic: Gullörn	Irish: Iolar Fíréan
Italian: Aquila reale	Norwegian: Kongeørn
Polish: Orzel przedni	Portuguese: Águia-real
Spanish: Águila real	Swedish: Kungsörn

Local Names: Erne
Collective Noun: Convocation

For More Information...

Books and Monographs:

Watson, J. 1997 The golden eagle Poyser, London [598.521 WAT]

Gordon, S. 2003 Days with the golden eagle Whittles Publishing, Caithness [598.521GOR]

McGrady, M. 1997 BWP Update 1:99-114

See Also:

All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter

Wikipedia entry

State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead

Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com

Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005

Find more papers on Google Scholar

Find more papers on Scirus


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These data should be cited as: Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.24, June 2009). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)		© British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK. Terms and Conditions \| Privacy Statement Registered Charity Number 216652.
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