The Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetus) is a feathered superlative.
It is the fastest, biggest and most global of all North American large raptors. Its territory is so widespread the bird has earned the title Holarctic, meaning it is found throughout the Northern hemisphere.
The bird is the national emblem of Mexico, Germany, Austria, Albania and Kazakhstan. No other critter on the planet has been honored by so many nations. “Most honored” – another superlative.
Golden eagles are powerful hunters with strong and sharp talons used to crush and carry prey such as rabbits, hares and ground squirrels. The bird is also a fierce defender of its food and offspring and has been seen challenging menacing coyotes and even bears.
The eagle is most prevalent in the Western United States rather than Eastern locales. It favors partial or completely open areas, especially those near hills or cliffs, and shuns dense forests or heavily canopied ground.
On local refuges it has been seen at the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) most often. But this year, it seems, people have been reporting frequent sightings at the Merced and San Luis NWRs, as well.
The Golden Eagle has a wingspan of seven feet, is three feet long and weighs nearly 10 pounds. It can fly at speeds exceeding 80 miles per hour and has a diving speed of 200 miles per hour. Despite its prowess in the air, it is sometimes seen running on the ground in pursuit of prey.
The bird gets its name from the golden-brown feathers on the neck and head of adults. Unlike all but two other raptors, the rough-legged and ferruginous hawks, the golden eagle has feathers the entire length of its legs to its feet.
The bird builds nests in elevated locations with an unobstructed view of surrounding terrain like cliff-face ledges or on top of power transmission towers. Both male and female birds help with nest building, return to the same nest year after year and add to the prior year’s nest with all sorts of things including vegetation, sticks, bones, antlers, wire and an occasional fence post or two.
Golden eagle nests are huge measuring five- to six-feet wide, two-feet high and enclosing a bowl three feet in diameter. The largest nest ever found was 20 feet tall, eight-and-a-half-feet wide and weighed thousands of pounds.
At the risk of using one too many superlatives, it is the best time of year to spot the Golden eagle hunting on nearby wildlands. Grab your binoculars and enjoy the outdoor experience.
The San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, Merced National Wildlife Refuge and the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge comprise the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Its headquarters and visitor center are located just north of Los Banos off Highway 165 at 7376 South Wolfsen Road.
The refuges are open to visitors daily from one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset. The visitor center is open Monday through Friday except federal holidays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call the refuge visitor center at 209-826-3508, ext. 127 or check out the upcoming events on the website at fws.gov/refuge/san-luis.
