Eagles are large birds of prey known for their large, hooked beaks, muscular legs, powerful talons, and expert hunting skills. They’re known for their ferocity, strength and rapidity.
Eagles, these majestic birds are also mentioned in The Bible and symbolize freedom, mercy, and power. Here are some more unknown eagle facts with images.
Eagles are categorized into more than 60 different species. Most of these are found in Eurasia and Africa and only 14 species are found in the remaining continents.
Eagles have been known to live between 14 – 30 years in the wild, depending on the species. The oldest known eagle has lived for 38 years in the wild, but the lifespan may increase in captivity.
South Nicobar Serpent Eagle grows only up to 16 inches and 0.99 pounds in weight, making it the smallest of all eagle species.
In terms of length and wingspan, Philippine Eagle is considered as the largest eagle species. But weight-wise, the Harpy and Steller’s Sea eagle are considered to be the largest.
Harpy Eagle
Philippine Eagle
It is known that the females are almost 30% larger than the males in all the eagle species.
Eagles are known to be very smart. They shed a feather on one side if they’ve lost one on the other side. This helps them balance their flight and effortlessly glide in the air.
Eagles are diurnal, which means they are active during the day and sleep at night. But they’re known to work round the clock if there’s any problem during building nests.
Usually, eagles roam around alone or in pairs. Only in rare situations like extreme weather or abundant food, they’re found in large groups.
The eyes of an eagle are approximately the same size as that of a human, but their eyesight is 4 – 6 times stronger than that of a human. It is said that an eagle can spot its prey from 2 miles away.
The eyes of an eagle can’t move much in the eye socket, but they can rotate their head about 180 degrees each side. They also have a strong eyelid that protects their eyes from dust.
Eagles can see and distinguish between color shades. They can also see in ultraviolet light which enables them to see urine trails of their prey.
Eagles have a special digestive organ known as the crop, which enables them to store food for later. Hence, they don’t need to eat every day. They have a large meal and can stay satiated for a few days.
Eagles eye for only one partner their whole life. Not only are they monogamous, but they also use the same nest each year.
Golden eagles are one of the fastest flying birds. They can travel by an airspeed of 320 kilometers (200 miles) per hour!
A Bald Eagle was seen flying with a 15-pound deer fawn, which is noted to be the heaviest load carried by any flying bird.
According to a legend, the Aztecs were told to establish their city where they find an eagle on a cactus, devouring a snake. They found it on an island in a lake, which is now the capital of Mexico and that explains the Mexican flag too.
Bald eagles, famous for their presence on the United States Flag, are not bald. Their name comes from the word “piebald”, which means two-colored – especially white and black.
January 10th is internationally declared as the ‘Save the Eagles Day’. Though these birds of prey are known to be on top of the food chain, they still need to be protected.