Most eagles grab prey without landing and take flight with it, so the prey can be carried to a perch and torn apart. Hunting techniques differ among the species and genera, with some individual eagles having engaged in quite varied techniques based on their environment and prey at any given time. These eagles often target various arboreal or ground-dwelling mammals and birds, which are often unsuspectingly ambushed in such dense, knotty environments. Many other eagles, including the species-rich genus Spizaetus, live predominantly in woodlands and forests. Where Aquila eagles are absent, other eagles, such as the buteonine black-chested buzzard-eagle of South America, may assume the position of top raptorial predator in open areas. The eagles of the genus Aquila are often the top birds of prey in open habitats, taking almost any medium-sized vertebrate they can catch. The snake and serpent eagles of the genera Circaetus, Terathopius, and Spilornis predominantly prey on the great diversity of snakes found in the tropics of Africa and Asia. The Haliaeetus and Ichthyophaga eagles prefer to capture fish, though the species in the former often capture various animals, especially other water birds, and are powerful kleptoparasites of other birds. This saves the bird's energy.ĭue to the size and power of many eagle species, they are ranked at the top of the food chain as apex predators in the avian world. Eagles fly during storms and glide from the wind’s pressure. It is said that eagles fly above clouds but this is not true. The parents take no action to stop the killing. Many species lay two eggs, but the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched. Įagles normally build their nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs. The female of all known species of eagles is larger than the male. This keen eyesight is primarily attributed to their extremely large pupils which ensure minimal diffraction (scattering) of the incoming light. This acuity enables eagles to spot potential prey from a very long distance. It is estimated that the wedge-tailed eagle has a visual acuity twice that of a typical human. The beak is typically heavier than that of most other birds of prey. Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large hooked beaks for ripping flesh from their prey, strong, muscular legs, and powerful talons. The smallest species of eagle is the South Nicobar serpent eagle ( Spilornis klossi), at 450 g (1 lb) and 40 cm (16 in). Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from some vultures. jamaicensis), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight – despite the reduced size of aerodynamic feathers. Even the smallest eagles, such as the booted eagle ( Aquila pennata), which is comparable in size to a common buzzard ( Buteo buteo) or red-tailed hawk ( B. Outside this area, just 14 species can be found-2 in North America, 9 in Central and South America, and 3 in Australia.Įagles are not a natural group but denote essentially any kind of bird of prey large enough to hunt sizeable (about 50 cm long or more overall) vertebrates.Įagles are large, powerfully-built birds of prey, with heavy heads and beaks. Most of the 68 species of eagles are from Eurasia and Africa. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. For other uses, see Eagle (disambiguation) and Eagles (disambiguation).įrom left to right: golden eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos), brown snake eagle ( Circaetus cinereus), solitary eagle ( Buteogallus solitarius), black eagle ( Ictinaetus malaiensis) and African fish eagle ( Haliaeetus vocifer).Įagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family Accipitridae.
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