Eagle is the common name for many large

birds of prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predators ...

of the family

Accipitridae The Accipitridae is one of the three families within the order Accipitriformes, and is a family of small to large birds with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-s ...

. Eagles belong to several groups of

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just 14 species can be found—2 in North America, 9 in Central and South America, and 3 in Australia. Eagles are not a natural group but denote essentially any kind of

bird of prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predators h ...

large enough to hunt sizeable (about 50 cm long or more overall)

vertebrates Vertebrates () comprise all animal taxa within the subphylum Vertebrata () ( chordates with backbones), including all mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Vertebrates represent the overwhelming majority of the phylum Chordata, ...

Description

Eagles are large, powerfully-built

, with heavy heads and beaks. Even the smallest eagles, such as the

booted eagle The booted eagle (''Hieraaetus pennatus'', also classified as ''Aquila pennata'') is a medium-sized mostly migratory bird of prey with a wide distribution in the Palearctic and southern Asia, wintering in the tropics of Africa and Asia, with a ...

(''Aquila pennata''), which is comparable in size to a

common buzzard The common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') is a medium-to-large bird of prey which has a large range. A member of the genus ''Buteo'', it is a member of the family Accipitridae. The species lives in most of Europe and extends its breeding range across ...

(''Buteo buteo'') or

red-tailed hawk The red-tailed hawk (''Buteo jamaicensis'') is a bird of prey that breeds throughout most of North America, from the interior of Alaska and northern Canada to as far south as Panama and the West Indies. It is one of the most common members with ...

(''B. jamaicensis''), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight – despite the reduced size of aerodynamic feathers. Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from some

vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...

s. The smallest species of eagle is the

South Nicobar serpent eagle The Great Nicobar serpent eagle (''Spilornis klossi''), also known as the South Nicobar serpent eagle, is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is probably the smallest known eagle, with a weight of about , a wingspan of and a ...

(''Spilornis klossi''), at and . The largest species are discussed below. Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large hooked

beak The beak, bill, or rostrum is an external anatomical structure found mostly in birds, but also in turtles, non-avian dinosaurs and a few mammals. A beak is used for eating, preening, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food ...

s for ripping flesh from their prey, strong, muscular legs, and powerful

talons A claw is a curved, pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger in most amniotes (mammals, reptiles, birds). Some invertebrates such as beetles and spiders have somewhat similar fine, hooked structures at the end of the leg or tarsus ...

. The beak is typically heavier than that of most other birds of prey. Eagles' eyes are extremely powerful. It is estimated that the

martial eagle The martial eagle (''Polemaetus bellicosus'') is a large eagle native to sub-Saharan Africa.Ferguson-Lees & Christie, ''Raptors of the World''. Houghton Mifflin Company (2001), . It is the only member of the genus ''Polemaetus''. A species of t ...

, whose eyes are more than two times larger than the human eye, has a

visual acuity Visual acuity (VA) commonly refers to the clarity of vision, but technically rates an examinee's ability to recognize small details with precision. Visual acuity is dependent on optical and neural factors, i.e. (1) the sharpness of the retinal ...

up to 8 times that of humans. This acuity enables eagles to spot potential prey from a very long distance. This keen eyesight is primarily attributed to their extremely large pupils which ensure minimal

diffraction Diffraction is defined as the interference or bending of waves around the corners of an obstacle or through an aperture into the region of geometrical shadow of the obstacle/aperture. The diffracting object or aperture effectively becomes a s ...

(scattering) of the incoming light. The female of all known species of eagles is larger than the male. Eagles normally build their nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs. Many species lay two eggs, but the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched. The parents take no action to stop the killing. It is said that eagles fly above clouds but this is not true. Eagles fly during storms and glide from the winds pressure. This saves the bird's energy. Due to the size and power of many eagle species, they are ranked at the top of the food chain as

apex predator An apex predator, also known as a top predator, is a predator at the top of a food chain, without natural predators of its own. Apex predators are usually defined in terms of trophic dynamics, meaning that they occupy the highest trophic lev ...

s in the avian world. The type of prey varies by genus. The ''

Haliaeetus A sea eagle or fish eagle (also called erne or ern, mostly in reference to the white-tailed eagle) is any of the birds of prey in the genus ''Haliaeetus'' in the bird of prey family Accipitridae. Taxonomy and evolution The genus ''Haliaeetus'' ...

'' and ''

Ichthyophaga A sea eagle or fish eagle (also called erne or ern, mostly in reference to the white-tailed eagle) is any of the birds of prey in the genus ''Haliaeetus'' in the bird of prey family Accipitridae. Taxonomy and evolution The genus ''Haliaeetus'' ...

'' eagles prefer to capture fish, though the species in the former often capture various animals, especially other

water bird A water bird, alternatively waterbird or aquatic bird, is a bird that lives on or around water. In some definitions, the term ''water bird'' is especially applied to birds in freshwater ecosystems, although others make no distinction from seabi ...

s, and are powerful kleptoparasites of other birds. The snake and serpent eagles of the genera ''

Circaetus ''Circaetus'', the snake eagles, is a genus of medium-sized eagles in the bird of prey family Accipitridae. They are mainly resident African species, but the migratory short-toed snake eagle breeds from the Mediterranean basin into Russia, the M ...

'', ''

Terathopius The bateleur (; ''Terathopius ecaudatus'') is a medium-sized eagle in the family Accipitridae. It is often considered a relative of the snake eagles and, like them, it is classified within the subfamily Circaetinae.Kemp, A. C., G. M. Kirwan, an ...

'', and ''

Spilornis ''Spilornis'' is a genus of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. As adults all have dark crowns, and bright yellow eyes and cere.Ferguson-Lees & Christie (2001). ''Raptors of the World.'' Christopher Helm, London. These medium-sized raptors ...

'' predominantly prey on the great diversity of

snake Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...

s found in the tropics of Africa and Asia. The eagles of the genus '' Aquila'' are often the top birds of prey in open habitats, taking almost any medium-sized

vertebrate Vertebrates () comprise all animal taxa within the subphylum Vertebrata () ( chordates with backbones), including all mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Vertebrates represent the overwhelming majority of the phylum Chordata, ...

they can catch. Where ''Aquila'' eagles are absent, other eagles, such as the buteonine

black-chested buzzard-eagle The black-chested buzzard-eagle (''Geranoaetus melanoleucus'') is a bird of prey of the hawk and eagle family (Accipitridae). It lives in open regions of South America. This species is also known as the black buzzard-eagle, the gray buzzard-eag ...

of South America, may assume the position of top raptorial predator in open areas. Many other eagles, including the species-rich genus ''

Spizaetus ''Spizaetus'' is the typical hawk-eagle birds of prey genus found in the tropics of the Americas. It was however used to indicate a group of tropical eagles that included species occurring in southern and southeastern Asia and one representative ...

'', live predominantly in woodlands and forests. These eagles often target various arboreal or ground-dwelling mammals and birds, which are often unsuspectingly ambushed in such dense, knotty environments. 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. Most eagles grab prey without landing and take flight with it, so the prey can be carried to a perch and torn apart. The

bald eagle The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...

is noted for having flown with the heaviest load verified to be carried by any flying bird, since one eagle flew with a

mule deer The mule deer (''Odocoileus hemionus'') is a deer indigenous to western North America; it is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule. Two subspecies of mule deer are grouped into the black-tailed deer. Unlike the related whit ...

fawn. However, a few eagles may target prey considerably heavier than themselves; such prey is too heavy to fly with, thus it is either eaten at the site of the kill or taken in pieces back to a perch or nest.

Golden Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershir ...

and

crowned eagle The crowned eagle, also known as the African crowned eagle or the crowned hawk-eagle (''Stephanoaetus coronatus''), is a large bird of prey found in sub-Saharan Africa; in Southern Africa it is restricted to eastern areas.Sinclair & Ryan (2003) ...

s have killed

ungulate Ungulates ( ) are members of the diverse clade Ungulata which primarily consists of large mammals with hooves. These include odd-toed ungulates such as horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs; and even-toed ungulates such as cattle, pigs, giraffes, cam ...

s weighing up to and a

even killed a

duiker A duiker is a small to medium-sized brown antelope native to sub-Saharan Africa, found in heavily wooded areas. The 22 extant species, including three sometimes considered to be subspecies of the other species, form the subfamily Cephalophina ...

, 7–8 times heavier than the preying eagle. Authors on birds

David Allen Sibley David Allen Sibley (born October 22, 1961, in Plattsburgh, New York) is an American ornithologist. He is the author and illustrator of ''The Sibley Guide to Birds'', which rivals Roger Tory Peterson's as the most comprehensive guides for Nort ...

Pete Dunne Peter Thomas England (born 9 November 1993) is an English professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Butch. He is a former WWE United Kingdom Champion and also a former NXT ...

, and Clay Sutton described the behavioral difference between hunting eagles and other birds of prey thus (in this case the bald and golden eagles as compared to other North American raptors):

They have at least one singular characteristic. It has been observed that most birds of prey look back over their shoulders before striking prey (or shortly thereafter); predation is after all a two-edged sword. All hawks seem to have this habit, from the smallest kestrel to the largest Ferruginous – but not the Eagles.

Among the eagles are some of the largest birds of prey: only the

condor Condor is the common name for two species of New World vultures, each in a monotypic genus. The name derives from the Quechua ''kuntur''. They are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere. They are: * The Andean condor (''Vult ...

s and some of the

Old World vulture Old World vultures are vultures that are found in the Old World, i.e. the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, and which belong to the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, buzzards, kites, and hawks. Old World vultures are not clos ...

s are markedly larger. It is regularly debated which should be considered the largest species of eagle. They could be measured variously in total length, body mass, or wingspan. Different lifestyle needs among various eagles result in variable measurements from species to species. For example, many forest-dwelling eagles, including the very large

harpy eagle The harpy eagle (''Harpia harpyja'') is a neotropical species of eagle. It is also called the American harpy eagle to distinguish it from the Papuan eagle, which is sometimes known as the New Guinea harpy eagle or Papuan harpy eagle. It is the ...

, have relatively short wingspans, a feature necessary for being able to maneuver in quick, short bursts through densely forested habitats. Eagles in the genus ''Aquila'', found almost exclusively in open country, are noted for their ability to soar, and have relatively long wings for their size. These lists of the top five eagles are based on weight, length, and wingspan, respectively. Unless otherwise noted by reference, the figures listed are the median reported for each measurement in the guide ''Raptors of the World'' in which only measurements that could be personally verified by the authors were listed.

Habitat

The eagles are generally distributed in all types of habitats and nearly all parts of the world. The birds can be found in northern tundra to tropical rainforests and deserts. In North America, bald eagles and golden eagles are very common. The other nine species are endemic to Central and South America. The birds have a highly concentrated population in the Africa and eastern hemisphere. Several islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans are also rich and have distinct species of eagles.

Distribution

Australasian Australasian is the adjectival form of Australasia, a geographical region including Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continen ...

** Australia:

wedge-tailed eagle The wedge-tailed eagle (''Aquila audax'') is the largest bird of prey in the continent of Australia. It is also found in southern New Guinea to the north and is distributed as far south as the state of Tasmania. Adults of this species have lon ...

(range extends into southern New Guinea), white-bellied sea-eagle (range extends into Asia), little eagle. ** New Guinea: Papuan eagle, white-bellied sea-eagle, pygmy eagle. * Nearctic (USA and Canada): golden eagle (also found in Palearctic),

. * Neotropical (Central and South America): ''

'' (four species), solitary eagles (two spp.),

, crested eagle,

. *

Palearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Sibe ...

** Eurasia: Golden eagle, White-tailed eagle. * Africa: African fish eagle, Martial Eagle, Crowned eagle, Verreaux's eagle, Tawny eagle,

Long-crested eagle The long-crested eagle (''Lophaetus occipitalis'') is an African bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. It is currently placed in a monotypic genus ''Lophaetus''. It is characterized by the feathers making up the shaggy ...

Groups

Eagles are often informally divided into four groups. from The snake eagles are placed in the subfamily Circaetinae. The fish eagles, booted eagles, and harpy eagles have traditionally been placed in the subfamily Buteoninae together with the buzzard-hawks (buteonine hawks) and harriers. Some authors may treat these groups as tribes of the Buteoninae; Lerner & Mindell proposed separating the eagle groups into their own subfamilies of

Fish eagles

Sea eagles or fish eagles take fish as a large part of their diets, either fresh or as carrion. Proposed subfamily Haliaeetinae. Genera: ''

'', ''

''. Some authors include ''Gypohierax angolensis'', the "vulturine fish eagle" (also called the palm-nut vulture) in this group. However, genetic analyses indicate it is related to a grouping of ''Neophron''–''Gypaetus''–''Eutriorchis'' ( Egyptian vulture, bearded vulture (lammergeier), and Madagascar serpent eagle). The fish eagles have a close genetic relationship with '' Haliastur'' and '' Milvus''; the whole group is only distantly related to the ''Buteo'' group.

Booted eagles

Booted eagles or "true eagles" have feathered tarsi (lower legs). Tribe Aquililae or proposed subfamily Aquilinae. Genera: ''Aquila'', ''Hieraaetus''; ''Spizaetus'', ''Oroaetus'', ''Spizastur''; ''Nisaetus''; ''Ictinaetus'', ''Lophoaetus''; ''Polemaetus''; and ''Stephanoaetus''. See comments under eagle species for changes to the composition of these genera.

Snake eagles

Most snake or serpent eagles, as the name suggests, primarily prey on snakes. * Subfamily Circaetinae. Genera: ''Circaetus'', ''Spilornis'', ''Dryotriorchis'', ''Terathopius''. * ''Eutriorchis'' (subfamily Gypaetinae or Circaetinae). Despite filling the niche of a snake eagle, genetic studies suggest that the Madagascar serpent eagle (''Eutriorchis'') is not related to them.

Harpy eagles

Harpy eagles or "giant forest eagles" are large eagles that inhabit tropical forests. The group contains two to six species, depending on the author. Although these birds occupy similar niches and have traditionally been grouped, they are not all related: the solitary eagles are related to the black hawks and the Philippine eagle to the snake eagles. * Harpy eagles (proposed subfamily Harpiinae) ** ''Harpia harpyja'',

― Central and South America. ** ''Morphnus guianensis'', crested eagle ― Central and South America. ** ''Harpyopsis novaeguineae'', Papuan eagle ― New Guinea. * Philippine eagle ** ''Pithecophaga jefferyi'', Philippine eagle ― Philippines. * Solitary eagles ** Chaco eagle or crowned solitary eagle, '' Buteogallus'' (formerly '' Harpyhaliaetus'') ''coronatus'' ― South America. **

Solitary eagle The solitary eagle or montane solitary eagle (''Buteogallus solitarius'') is a large Neotropical eagle. It is also known as the black solitary eagle. Range and habitat The solitary eagle is native to Mexico and Central and South America. It i ...

or montane solitary eagle, '' Buteogallus'' (formerly '' Harpyhaliaetus'') ''solitarius'' ― South America.

Species

Major new research into eagle taxonomy suggests that the important genera ''Aquila'' and ''Hieraaetus'' are not composed of nearest relatives, and it is likely that a reclassification of these genera will soon take place, with some species being moved to ''Lophaetus'' or ''Ictinaetus''. *

Bonelli's eagle The Bonelli's eagle (''Aquila fasciata'') is a large bird of prey. The common name of the bird commemorates the Italian ornithologist and collector Franco Andrea Bonelli. Bonelli is credited with gathering the type specimen, most likely from an ...

and the African hawk-eagle have been moved from ''Hieraaetus'' to ''Aquila''. *Either the greater spotted eagle and lesser spotted eagle should move from ''Aquila'' to join the

long-crested eagle The long-crested eagle (''Lophaetus occipitalis'') is an African bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. It is currently placed in a monotypic genus ''Lophaetus''. It is characterized by the feathers making up the shaggy ...

in ''Lophaetus'', or, perhaps better, all three of these species should move to ''Ictinaetus'' with the black eagle. *The steppe eagle and tawny eagle, once thought to be conspecific, are not even each other's nearest relatives. Family Accipitridae *Subfamily Buteoninae – hawks (buzzards), true eagles and seaeagles **Genus ''Geranoaetus'' ***

Black-chested buzzard-eagle The black-chested buzzard-eagle (''Geranoaetus melanoleucus'') is a bird of prey of the hawk and eagle family (Accipitridae). It lives in open regions of South America. This species is also known as the black buzzard-eagle, the gray buzzard-eag ...

, ''Geranoaetus melanoleucus'' **Genus '' Harpyhaliaetus'' *** Chaco eagle, ''Harpyhaliaetus coronatus'' ***

, ''H. solitarius'' **Genus ''Morphnus'' *** Crested eagle, ''Morphnus guianensis'' **Genus ''Harpia'' *** Harpy eagle, ''Harpia harpyja'' **Genus ''Pithecophaga'' *** Philippine eagle, ''Pithecophaga jefferyi'' **Genus ''Harpyopsis'' *** Papuan eagle, ''Harpyopsis novaeguineae'' **Genus ''

'' *** Black hawk-eagle, ''S. tyrannus'' *** Ornate hawk-eagle, ''S. ornatus'' *** Black-and-white hawk-eagle, ''S. melanoleucus'' – formerly ''Spizastur'' *** Black-and-chestnut eagle, ''S. isidori'' – formerly ''Oroaetus'' **Genus '' Nisaetus'' – previously included in ''Spizaetus'' *** Changeable hawk-eagle, ''N. cirrhatus'' **** Flores hawk-eagle ''N. floris'' – earlier a subspecies, ''S. c. floris'' ***

Sulawesi hawk-eagle The Sulawesi hawk-eagle (''Nisaetus lanceolatus'') (earlier placed under ''Spizaetus''), also known as Celebes hawk-eagle, is a medium-sized, approximately long, crestless brown raptor in the family Accipitridae. The adults have rufous-brown, bo ...

, ''N. lanceolatus'' *** Mountain hawk-eagle, ''N. nipalensis'' ****

Legge's hawk-eagle William Vincent Legge, Legge's hawk-eagle (''Nisaetus kelaarti'') is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. It breeds in the Indian subcontinent, from southern India to Sri Lanka. Its specific name (zoology), specific ...

, ''Nisaetus kelaarti'' – previously a race of ''S. nipalensis'' ***

Blyth's hawk-eagle Blyth's hawk-eagle (''Nisaetus alboniger'') (earlier treated as ''Spizaetus'') is a medium-sized bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. It can be found in the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Sumatra and Borneo. It is a bird ...

, ''N. alboniger'' ***

Javan hawk-eagle The Javan hawk-eagle (''Nisaetus bartelsi'') is a medium-sized, dark brown raptor in the family Accipitridae. It is the national bird of Indonesia, where it is commonly referred to as Garuda, from the bird-like creatures in Hindu and Buddhist my ...

, ''N. bartelsi'' ***(Northern) Philippine hawk-eagle, ''N. philippensis'' **** Pinsker's hawk-eagle (Southern Philippine hawk-eagle), ''Nisaetus pinskeri'' – earlier ''S. philippensis pinskeri'' *** Wallace's hawk-eagle, ''N. nanus'' **Genus ''Lophaetus'' ***

, ''Lophaetus occipitalis'' – possibly belongs in ''Ictinaetus'' **Genus ''Stephanoaetus'' *** Crowned eagle, ''Stephanoaetus coronatus'' *** Malagasy crowned eagle, ''Stephanoaetus mahery'' **Genus ''Polemaetus'' *** Martial eagle, ''Polemaetus bellicosus'' **Genus '' Hieraaetus'' *** Ayres's hawk-eagle, ''H. ayresii'' *** Little eagle, ''H. morphnoides'' *** Pygmy eagle, ''H. weiskei'' – previously subspecies ''H. m. weiskei'' ***

Booted eagle The booted eagle (''Hieraaetus pennatus'', also classified as ''Aquila pennata'') is a medium-sized mostly migratory bird of prey with a wide distribution in the Palearctic and southern Asia, wintering in the tropics of Africa and Asia, with a ...

, ''H. pennatus'' *** Haast's eagle, †H. moorei **Genus ''Lophotriorchis'' ***

Rufous-bellied eagle The rufous-bellied eagle or rufous-bellied hawk-eagle (''Lophotriorchis kienerii'') is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae that is found in the forested regions of tropical Asia. Relatively small for eagles and contrastingly patterned like ...

, ''L. kienerii'' Eagle Lahore Zoo June302005

**Genus '' Aquila'' ***

, ''Aquila fasciata'' – formerly ''Hieraaetus fasciatus'' *** African hawk-eagle, ''A. spilogaster'' – formerly in ''Hieraaetus'' *** Cassin's hawk-eagle, ''A. africana'' – formerly in ''Hieraaetus'' or ''Spizaetus'' genera *** Golden eagle, ''A. chrysaetos'' *** Eastern imperial eagle, ''A. heliaca'' *** Spanish imperial eagle ''A. adalberti'' *** Steppe eagle, ''A. nipalensis'' *** Tawny eagle, ''A. rapax'' *** Greater spotted eagle, ''A. clanga'' – to be moved to ''Lophaetus'' or ''Ictinaetus'' *** Lesser spotted eagle, ''A. pomarina'' – to be moved to ''Lophaetus'' or ''Ictinaetus'' ***

Indian spotted eagle The Indian spotted eagle (''Clanga hastata'') is a large bird of prey native to South Asia. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. The typical eagles are often united with the buteos, sea eagles and other more heavys ...

, ''A. hastata'' – to be moved to ''Lophaetus'' or ''Ictinaetus'' *** Verreaux's eagle, ''A. verreauxii'' ***

Gurney's eagle Gurney's eagle (''Aquila gurneyi'') is a large eagle in the family Accipitridae. It is found in New Guinea and Wallacea, and is an occasional vagrant to Australia. The common name and Latin binomial commemorate the British banker and amateur ...

, ''A. gurneyi'' *** Wahlberg's eagle, ''A. wahlbergi'' – to be moved to ''Hieraaetus'' *** Wedge-tailed eagle, ''A. audax'' **Genus ''Ictinaetus'' *** Black eagle, ''Ictinaetus malayensis'' **Genus ''

'' *** White-tailed eagle, ''Haliaeetus albicilla'' ***

Bald eagle The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...

, ''H. leucocephalus'' *** Steller's sea eagle, ''H. pelagicus'' *** African fish eagle, ''H. vocifer'' *** White-bellied sea eagle, ''H. leucogaster'' *** Sanford's sea eagle, ''H. sanfordi'' *** Madagascar fish eagle, ''H. vociferoides'' *** Pallas' sea eagle, ''H. leucoryphus'' **Genus ''

'' ***

Lesser fish eagle The lesser fish eagle (''Haliaeetus humilis'') is a species of ''Haliaeetus'' found in the Indian subcontinent, primarily in the foothills of the Himalayas, and south-east Asia. There are records from Gujarat, Central India and in more recent t ...

, ''Ichthyophaga humilis'' *** Grey-headed fish eagle, ''I. ichthyaetus'' CircaetusGallicus

*Subfamily Circaetinae: snake-eagles **Genus ''Terathopius'' *** Bateleur, ''Terathopius ecaudatus'' **Genus ''

'' *** Short-toed snake eagle, ''Circaetus gallicus'' *** Beaudouin's snake eagle, ''Circaetus beaudouini'' ***

Black-chested snake eagle The black-chested snake eagle or black-breasted snake eagle (''Circaetus pectoralis'') is a large African bird of prey of the family Accipitridae. It resembles other snake eagles and was formerly considered conspecific with the short-toed and B ...

, ''C. pectoralis'' ***

Brown snake eagle The brown snake eagle (''Circaetus cinereus'') is a fairly large species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is found in West, East and southern Africa. This species is an almost obligate predator of a variety of snakes. A very solitar ...

, ''C. cinereus'' ***

Fasciated snake eagle The southern banded snake eagle, also known as the East African snake eagle or fasciated snake eagle (''Circaetus fasciolatus'') is a species of snake eagle in the family Accipitridae which is found in eastern Sub-Saharan Africa. Description The ...

, ''C. fasciolatus'' ***

Western banded snake eagle The western banded snake eagle (''Circaetus cinerascens'') is a grey-brown African raptor with a short tail and a large head. Juveniles have paler and browner upper parts than adults, with white-edged feathers. The eagle's head, neck and breast a ...

, ''C. cinerascens'' **Genus ''

Dryotriorchis The Congo serpent eagle (''Dryotriorchis spectabilis'') is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is the only member of the monotypic genus ''Dryotriorchis'', although it was formerly placed in ''Circaetus''. This species is di ...

'' ***

Congo serpent eagle The Congo serpent eagle (''Dryotriorchis spectabilis'') is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is the only member of the monotypic genus ''Dryotriorchis'', although it was formerly placed in ''Circaetus''. This species is di ...

, ''D. spectabilis'' **Genus ''

'' *** Crested serpent eagle, ''Spilornis cheela'' **** Central Nicobar serpent eagle, ''S. minimus'' (subspecies or species) *** Great Nicobar serpent eagle, ''S. klossi'' *** Mountain serpent eagle, ''S. kinabaluensis'' ***

Sulawesi serpent eagle The Sulawesi serpent eagle (''Spilornis rufipectus'') is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is endemic to Sulawesi in Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. References Spil ...

, ''S. rufipectus'' *** Philippine serpent eagle, ''S. holospilus'' *** Andaman serpent eagle, ''S. elgini'' **Genus ''Eutriorchis'' *** Madagascar serpent eagle, ''Eutriorchis astur''

In culture

Etymology

The modern English term for the bird is derived from la,

aquila Aquila may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Aquila'', a series of books by S.P. Somtow * ''Aquila'', a 1997 book by Andrew Norriss * ''Aquila'' (children's magazine), a UK-based children's magazine * ''Aquila'' (journal), an or ...

by way of french: aigle. The origin of is unknown, but it is believed to possibly derive from (meaning dark-colored, swarthy, or blackish) as a reference to the plumage of eagles.

Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...

used the term , related to Scandinavia's '' ørn/

örn Orn and Örn is an Icelandic name. It may refer to: People with the given name *Örn Arnarson (born 1981), Icelandic swimmer *Örn Árnason (born 1959), Icelandic actor, comedian and screenwriter * Örn Clausen (1928–2008), Icelandic decathle ...

''. It is similar to other Indo-European terms for "bird" or "eagle", including el, ὄρνις (), russian: орёл (), and cy, eryr. In the southern part of Finland, near the

Gulf of Finland The Gulf of Finland ( fi, Suomenlahti; et, Soome laht; rus, Фи́нский зали́в, r=Finskiy zaliv, p=ˈfʲinskʲɪj zɐˈlʲif; sv, Finska viken) is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and E ...

, is the town of Kotka, which literally means "eagle", while the town of

L'Aquila L'Aquila ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in central Italy. It is the capital city of both the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L'Aquila. , it has a population of 70,967 inhabitants. Laid out within medieval walls on a hill in the wide valle ...

in the central part of Italy literally means "the eagle". Fountain top

In Britain before 1678, ''eagle'' referred specifically to the golden eagle, with the other native species, the white-tailed eagle, being known as ''erne''. The modern name "golden eagle" for ''aquila chrysaetos'' was introduced by the naturalist

John Ray John Ray FRS (29 November 1627 – 17 January 1705) was a Christian English naturalist widely regarded as one of the earliest of the English parson-naturalists. Until 1670, he wrote his name as John Wray. From then on, he used 'Ray', after ...

. The village of

Eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

in Lincolnshire, England, has nothing to do with the bird; its name is derived from the Old English words for "oak" and "wood" (compare ''Oakley'').

Religion and spirituality

In ancient

Sumerian mythology Sumerian religion was the religion practiced by the people of Sumer, the first literate civilization of ancient Mesopotamia. The Sumerians regarded their divinities as responsible for all matters pertaining to the natural and social orders. Ov ...

, the mythical king Etana was said to have been carried into

heaven Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...

by an eagle. Classical writers such as

Lucan Marcus Annaeus Lucanus (3 November 39 AD – 30 April 65 AD), better known in English as Lucan (), was a Roman poet, born in Corduba (modern-day Córdoba), in Hispania Baetica. He is regarded as one of the outstanding figures of the Imperial ...

and Pliny the Elder claimed that the eagle was able to look directly at the sun, and that they forced their fledglings to do the same. Those that blinked would be cast from the nest. This belief persisted until the Medieval era. The eagle is the patron animal of the ancient Greek god Zeus. In particular, Zeus was said to have taken the form of an eagle in order to abduct Ganymede, and there are numerous artistic depictions of the eagle Zeus bearing Ganymede aloft, from Classical times up to the present (see illustrations in the Ganymede (mythology) page.) Psalm 103 (in Greek, Latin, and English) mentions renewing one's youth "as the eagle" (although the Hebrew word נשר apparently means

Augustine of Hippo Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Af ...

gives a curious explanation of this in his commentary on the Psalms. An eagle is a common form in the

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

tradition, often used to support the Bible because of the symbolism of spreading the gospel over the world. Additional symbolic meanings for "eagle" include the pronouncements to the Israelites in Exodus 19:4; Psalms 103:5 and Isaiah 40:31. The United States eagle feather law stipulates that only individuals of certifiable Native American ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers for religious or spiritual reasons. In Canada, the poaching of eagle feathers for the booming U.S. market has sometimes resulted in the arrests of First Nations person for the crime. The Moche people of ancient Peru worshiped the eagle and often depicted eagles in their art. While every Native American tribe has their own set of customs and beliefs, one thing virtually every tribe has in common is a reverence for eagles. Native Americans view them as powerful medicine animals that represent bravery, honor, and insight. In addition, because eagles have the ability to fly, many tribes view them as having a connection to the Creator and possessing the ability to communicate with both the physical and supernatural worlds. In fact, the mythical Native American bird, the thunderbird, is based on the eagle and yet is considered to have even greater powers. For Native Americans, eagle feathers are also sacred. Eagles and their feathers are protected under federal law. However, Native Americans with certified ancestry are permitted to obtain and use eagle feathers in spiritual ceremonies. Traditionally, when a warrior displayed bravery in a battle, he was given an eagle feather. Hence, the iconic headdresses worn by the plains tribes that contained many eagle feathers represented a brave and powerful warrior. In addition, Native Americans believe that if a person finds an eagle feather on the ground, it is a gift from the Sky and the Earth.

Heraldry

Eagles are an exceptionally common symbol in heraldry, being considered the "King of Birds" in contrast to the

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...

, the "King of Beasts". Whereas the lion (e.g. England) usually represents authority, the eagle is the symbol of power. They are particularly popular in Germanic countries such as Austria, due to their association with the Holy Roman Empire. The eagle of the Holy Roman Empire was two-headed, supposedly representing the two divisions, East and West, of the old Roman Empire. This motif, derived from the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire was also adopted by the Russian Empire and is still featured in the Flag of Albania. The Roman eagle was preceded by the eagle of Ptolemaic Egypt and the

Achaemenid Empire The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire (; peo, 𐎧𐏁𐏂, , ), also called the First Persian Empire, was an ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. Based in Western Asia, it was contemporarily the largest em ...

. In the coat of arms of Kotka, Finland, the eagle is depicted carrying an anchor and the

caduceus The caduceus (☤; ; la, cādūceus, from grc-gre, κηρύκειον "herald's wand, or staff") is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology and consequently by Hermes Trismegistus in Greco-Egyptian mythology. The same staff was also ...

on its feet. Heraldic eagles are most often found ''displayed'', i.e. with their wings and legs extended. They can also occur ''close'', i.e. with their wings folded, or ''rising'', i.e. about to take flight. The heads, wings, and legs of eagles can also be found independently.

Notes

References

External links