Eagles

Basic Information

Eagles belong to the family Accipitridae, which includes other powerful birds of prey like hawks and kites!

A group of eagles is called a “convocation,” which sounds just as majestic as these incredible birds look!

There are 60–70 different species of eagles found across every continent except Antarctica!

Baby eagles are called “eaglets,” and they stay in their nest for about 10–12 weeks before learning to fly!

Eagles are carnivores, which means they only eat meat, including fish, small mammals, and other birds!

Physical Characteristics

An eagle’s wingspan can reach up to 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) across — that’s wider than most adults are tall!

Eagles can see about 4-8 times better than humans and can spot a rabbit from 2 miles (3.22 kilometers) away!

Eagles have special bumps on their feet called “spicules” that help them hold onto slippery fish!

An eagle’s beak grows continuously throughout its life, just like our fingernails!

Eagles have about 7,000 feathers on their entire body, and they replace them all gradually over the course of a year!

Eagles have special eyelids called “nictitating membranes” that work like windshield wipers to clean and protect their eyes while flying!

Eagles’ bones are hollow and lightweight, making up only about half a pound of their total body weight!

Eagles can turn their heads 180 degrees to look behind them without moving their bodies!

Behavior & Intelligence

Most eagles are monogamous, which means they usually keep the same mate for their entire life!

Eagle pairs perform spectacular courtship displays, including locking talons and spinning while falling through the air!

Eagles can recognize and remember human faces, especially those of people who regularly visit their territory!

Eagles spend most of their day perched, conserving energy for hunting!

Young eagles learn to fly by hopping around their nest and flapping their wings, a process called “branching”!

Eagles perform “sky dances” during courtship, where they can reach heights of up to 10,000 feet (3 kilometers)!

Conservation & Population

Eagle populations have improved thanks to the ban of DDT pesticide in 1972, which was making their eggshells too thin!

There are special wildlife hospitals that help heal injured eagles and return them to the wild!

Habitat & Survival

Eagles build their nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs to keep their babies safe from predators!

The largest eagle nest ever found was 20 feet (6 meters) deep and 9.5 feet (3 meters) wide — that’s about the size of a small bedroom!

Eagles can fly at altitudes of up to 10,000 feet (3 kilometers) — that’s higher than some small airplanes!

Some eagles can dive at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour (322 kilometers per hour) when hunting!

Eagles can swim using their powerful wings as paddles when they catch fish too heavy to lift out of the water!

Some eagles can spot fish swimming up to 6 feet (183 centimeters) below the water’s surface!

Eagles have built-in “sunglasses” — their eyes have special filters that protect them from bright sunlight!

Eagles can survive in habitats ranging from scorching deserts to freezing arctic regions!

Life Cycle

Eagle eggs take about 35 days to hatch, and both parents take turns keeping them warm!

Baby eagles do grow super fast: They double their weight in just 3 days and become five times bigger in one week!

Young eagles practice flying by jumping up and down in their nest while flapping their wings for about 6 to 8 weeks!

Eagle parents feed their chicks up to 8 times a day during their first few weeks of life!

Eagles don’t get their adult feathers until they’re about 4–5 years old!

Young eagles learn to hunt by watching their parents and practicing with sticks and leaves!

Eagle chicks often fight with their siblings for food, and the strongest ones usually survive!

Eagles reach adult size at about 12 weeks old, but may stay with their parents for several months longer!

Most eagles start looking for a mate when they’re about 4–5 years old!

Eagles can lay between 1–4 eggs at a time, but usually only one or two chicks survive to adulthood!

Diet & Feeding

Eagles can spot their prey from 1 to 2 miles (1.6–3.2 kilometers) away if the conditions are right!

Some eagles can carry prey that weighs as much as they do!

Eagles rarely need to drink water directly because they get most of their moisture from the prey they consume.

Eagles have a special pouch in their throat called a crop where they can store food for later!

Eagles have a special digestive system that can dissolve bones from their prey!

Some eagles work together in pairs to hunt, with one distracting the prey while the other attacks!

Eagles can reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour) while carrying their prey!

Eagles sometimes steal food from other birds, a behavior scientists call kleptoparasitism!

Fun and Unique Facts

Eagles have better color vision than humans and can see ultraviolet light!

Eagles appear on the national emblems of more than 25 countries!

Some eagles can spot a rabbit from a distance equivalent to 3 football fields placed end to end!