Golden Eagle

Aguila chrysaetos

Status: Least Concerned

Size:  27.6-33.1 inches, Wingspan: 72.8-86.6 inches

Habitat: Wide range of habitat types, including high-altitude regions, deserts, forests and open areas.

At the Zoo: Education Animal in Training.   Not on exhibit.

The Golden Eagle is a fascinating bird to watch fly with its massive wingspan commanding the eyes.   The national bird of Mexico, this majestic bird of prey is one that will be ingrained in my memory for a long time as I was lucky enough to see one within my first few weeks living in El Paso. One day as I was coming home from my in-laws I saw what I thought was a dove sitting in a tree above my car. When I was getting out of my car, I heard something drop from the tree.  At first, I thought it was a bird pooping, but as it turns out the dove had just become a meal for my first sighting of a Golden Eagle. I immediately reached for my phone to get a picture when I saw the eagle take off with the dove still in its talons.  Unfortunately, it happened way too fast to get a picture.  I have been lucky enough to see this great bird one more time flying out of the parking lot of my home.

Anyone wanting the opportunity to see this beautiful bird in El Paso needs to know that for that to happen we need to keep our mountains protected and clean of trash and litter.  Golden Eagles make our city home now, but if we keep developing the low elevation areas where they do most of their hunting, they too may become a part of our history, like the wolf, prairie dogs, bison and other species that are no longer living in our area.

Golden Eagle Fun Facts

The Golden Eagle is one of the largest birds of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere where it lives not just in North America, but also Eurasia and North Africa.   We are very fortunate to have Golden Eagles living in our city.  Golden Eagles patrol low elevation grassland and desert areas looking for potential prey including small mammals and birds.  They nest in cliffs like those in the Franklin Mountains and can often can be found by themselves or with a mate. Keep your eye out for them the next time you are hiking the trails around El Paso and you too may be able to see a Golden Eagle coming in for a snack.

By Jacob Croft, El Paso Zoo Volunteer

Credits:

Factual information gathered from

Golden Eagle Identification, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. , All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden_Eagle/id.

Photo Credits:
Cover and bottom – Juan LaCruz, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Middle – Ignacio Ferre Perez, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Top J. Glover – Wikimedia Creative Commons