The eagle, as a bird of prey, is known to many peoples of the world. Such notions as glory, luck, victory and power are associated with this bird. That is why you can see this majestic bird on the coats of arms of many countries.
Eagles are birds of prey, which are very large in size and belong to the family of hawks and the order of hawks. Eagles are found in almost every corner of the globe, both on the plains and in mountainous areas, and at considerable altitudes.
Fact number one.
Representatives of this family have quite a massive and well-developed body. They have strong and relatively long legs, with plumage to the very toes, which looks more like «pants». At the same time, the head is quite compact, and the neck is strong and muscular. The eyeballs are large, but they are not notable for their mobility, although the mobility of the neck is such that such a disadvantage does not have a significant, negative impact on the life of the bird of prey. Eagles are also characterized by fairly strong claws and beak. Beak has a curved end, which confirms the predatory nature of the bird.
Claws and a beak are characterized by the fact that they grow throughout life, but the peculiarities of eagles’ life activity lead to the fact that they are sharpened in a natural way. This family has strong, long and wide wings, with well-developed plumage. Their wingspan can reach 2 and a half meters. Such aerodynamic characteristics allow the raptor to stay in the air for a long time, at a height of about 800 meters.
Eagles easily cope with air currents of any intensity. At the same time they are able to attack their prey at a speed of at least 300 km/hour. Eagles have extremely sharp eyesight, so they are able from a height of 500 meters to observe sufficiently small prey in the form of lizards, rodents and snakes. At the same time, the presence of peripheral vision allows the bird of prey to exercise control over 12 square meters of airspace. Hearing is not as well developed as vision, and the sense of smell is weak. The plumage color depends on the species of this family, so it is characterized as monotone, with the presence of speckles and contrasts. Eagles can be easily distinguished by the nature of their flight, by their maneuverability, and by the way they make sparse but deep and powerful flaps of their wings.
Fact number two.
The eagle’s range is quite vast, with each species choosing unique territories for itself. It is worth noting that there is one peculiarity: these places are as far away as possible from humans and their activities. In this regard, eagles are found more often in mountainous areas or in semi-open landscapes.
Fact number three.
The diet of eagles is quite extensive and mostly consists of animal objects, and often quite large, although mostly these food objects are not large animals, such as: hares, gophers, birds and fish. If eagles go hungry for a long time, they can easily feed on carrion, which they will find either on land or in water. If the hunt is successful, eagles eat their prey immediately or feed it to their chicks. Some species of eagles hunt quite poisonous snakes. After eating the food, the eagle drinks a lot of water and begins to tidy up its plumage.
Fact number four.
It is characteristic of eagles that they do not reach sexual maturity until they are five years old. Depending on the species of raptor, the nests of eagles can be found on bushes or trees, as well as on rocks, high up in the mountains. Both the female and the male are involved in nest building, although the female is believed to put in more labor, skill, and care. Once the nest is built, if it is secure, eagles can use it for many years.
There are cases when eagles take over nests built by larger birds, such as a falcon or raven, of course, if these nests suit the eagles in their size. The female lays eggs once a year, with no more than 3 eggs. The incubation of eggs is not much different from the incubation of eggs by other birds. After the birth, you can already tell from the chicks that the birds have a complex predator character. Squabbles within the nest often result in the death of the weaker individuals. They may be thrown out of the nest or receive fatal beak blows. The mating games of eagles are spectacular because they take place in the air. Both individuals demonstrate their full potential by chasing each other and performing elaborate aerobatics.
Fact number five.
Eagles, despite the fact that they have almost no natural enemies, represent a rather vulnerable link in the ecosystem of the planet. As a rule, eagles often die in battles with stronger aerial predators, as well as the common wolf. But this is not such a big problem compared to the days-long lack of sustenance. Because the eagle’s body requires constant and steady sustenance, they have to migrate with other bird species to warmer regions or countries.
Fact number six.
Eagles, as a symbol of strength and endurance, are on the verge of extinction as a species and all thanks to human economic activity. The constant decline of birds of prey is due to many factors, including poaching as well as the ever deteriorating environmental situation. Thanks to the presence of the Red Book, as well as specialists, it is possible to constantly monitor and detect all new species of eagles, which have become endangered. This allows a timely response to such problems, changing the situation for the better.
Fact number seven.
Eagles have amazing vision. And, while humans see three basic colors, eagles distinguish five. Eagles are able to combine the images from two eyes into a single stereoscopic image for the brain. Few animals, including humans, have this ability. While other birds of prey tend to look back to see if they are being followed, eagles do not, perhaps because they are so sure of themselves.
Fact number eight.
Eagles make impressive displays in the air to attract mates, a female, or to defend their territories. For the same reason they fight each other violently, locking their claws in a free-falling spiral.
Fact number nine.
Eagles spend their entire lives with one chosen one, remaining loyal to him. Pygmy eagles, for example, winter separately, but in spring the pair reunite at a common nest, and the return of the male looks very spectacular: he slowly rises to a height of 800 meters, and then falls like a stone and soars to the sky again, sometimes performing a dead loop.
Fact number ten.
After 40 years, the beak and talons of large species of eagles grow so large that the birds can no longer eat or hunt. There are two variants of further development of events: the eagle either dies or breaks its beak on stones, rips out its claws and old feathers, and in half a year it is revived like a phoenix to live on and lives many more years. One can only envy such strength of character.
The Day of the Rescue of Eagles is celebrated annually on January 10. One of the main purposes of creating this holiday is to raise awareness of eagles and to direct everyone’s efforts toward preserving these birds and preventing their extinction. Currently, poaching, pesticides and other dangers continue to threaten eagle populations.
