In addition to its inhabiting most of the continental US (excluding some of the Eastern parts of the country), this bird is also found in much of Asia, and some of Africa and Europe.Ĭredit Osprey, a Big Fish-Eating Raptor Bird of America

Golden Eagles are massive birds of prey that feed primarily upon rabbits, hares, prairie dogs, and smaller rodents like squirrels in the United States. Its average body length is about 30 inches, and its wingspan is around 79 inches, but the golden eagle is slightly heavier than the bald eagle, weighing in at around 10 lbs on average. The Golden Eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos) is another huge bird of prey of the United States. Bald Eagles can be found, depending on season, in every continental state and in Canada and Mexico.Ĭredit Golden Eagle, a Large Raptor Bird of America They will also feed upon rodents and other birds that they can catch. Feeding primarily on fish, Bald Eagles swoop down to grasp fish with their talons, as Ospreys do on occasion, but they do not dive into the water. These giant birds of prey average about 31 inches in length, with an 80 inch wingspan, and a weight of just under 10 lbs. The Bald Eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is the national bird of the United States, and also the largest raptor. Bald Eagle, the Largest Bird of Prey in the US Listed below are the largest birds of prey found in the United States, excluding the nocturnal species (owls), and New World vultures (vultures and California condors). They swoop down to grab unsuspecting creatures upon which they feed, using keen eyesight and agile flight to locate and obtain food. Raptors are big birds of prey that hunt their own food on the wing. Listed below are some of the largest of these birds. One of the largest eagles, the Harpy eagle, feeds on larger animals including monkeys, sloths and coatis.Birds of prey are ones that feed upon other animals, like rodents, fish, or smaller birds. Giant forest eagles feed on various forest animals. Sea eagles or fish eagles feed mostly on a diet of fish whilst snake eagles specialise on capturing reptiles. Booted eagles have a relatively wide diet consisting of birds, small mammals, reptiles, rodents, amphibians and insects, whereas others are more restricted. What eagles eat depends upon the species and the food that is available to them, but they are all carnivorous and live on a diet of meat and/or fish.Įagles can be divided broadly into four groups sea eagles, booted eagles, snake eagles and giant forest eagles. What do eagles eat?Įagles are apex predators, meaning they are at the top of the food chain. The number of eggs laid will depend upon species, but many eagles lay between one and three eggs four egg clutches do occur, but they are rare. Bald eagles for example, most likely nest in tall trees whereas as golden eagles prefer cliff faces or more open areas.

Location of the nest varies with species. Nests, composed of sticks, vegetation, and downy feathers, are built by both males and females. They have strong site fidelity, so a mating pair tend to reuse the same nest year after year. We have 200,000 cones per square millimetre, whereas eagles have one million.Įagles are monogamous, so generally mate for life. One of the reasons that eagles have better vision than humans is because their retinas, a layer at the back of the eyeball, have more cones. Eagles can see five basic colours to our three, and can detect UV light.Ĭones are light detecting cells that are sensitive to colour. Eagle eyes are angled 30 degrees away from centre of the face, which gives eagles a greater field of view. An eagles vision is 4–5 times better than that of a human.

The eyes are large, can take up almost 50% of the head, and can weigh the same amount as a human eye. Sight is the strongest of all eagle senses. In contrast, Stellers’s sea eagle is around 36–42 in (91–106 cm) in size, and wingspan can reach approximately 72–96 in (2–2.5 m). One of the smallest species, the little eagle, is around 17.7–21.7 in (45–55 cm). They have strong muscular legs, powerful talons and large hooked beaks that enable them to rip the flesh from their prey.Įagles vary in size. With the exception of some vultures, eagles are generally larger than other birds of prey. The majority are found in Eurasia and Africa, with only 14 species found in other areas including North, Central and South America, and Australia. Eagles have amazing eyesight and can detect prey up to two miles away.Įagles are birds of prey in the family Accipitridae there are approximately 60 different species. They are at the top of the food chain, with some species feeding on big prey like monkeys and sloths.

Largest bird of prey eagle