If you guessed hawks, owls, vultures, or other mysterious birds of prey but didn't even consider the largest bird of prey in North America, you're in for a surprise.
The ever-powerful Golden Eagle is North America's largest bird of prey, and believe it or not, the national bird of Mexico. They're agile, and live just about everywhere on the North American continent, so whether you call Ohio or Arizona home, you're likely to have these golden-brown plumed birds within a few miles of your home. They can dive on unsuspecting prey like deer, dogs, and even human CHILDREN at speeds of more than 150 miles per hour.
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The bird has an impressive wingspan ranging from five a half feet to seven and a half feet wide, with female birds of this species tending to land on the larger end of the spectrum. These majestic raptors (yes, that's really what they are) are such skilled hunters that they've made their way into mysticism, folklore, and the pursuit of human expansion.
"For centuries, this species has been one of the most highly regarded birds used in falconry. Due to its hunting prowess, the golden eagle is regarded with great mystic reverence in some ancient, tribal cultures. It is one of the most extensively studied species of raptor in the world in some parts of its range, such as the Western United States." Wikipedia
Golden Eagles use their agility, race car-level speed, and razor-sharp talons to regularly dive out of the air to snatch rabbits, squirrels, reptiles, smaller birds, and fish -- but larger prey like deer, dogs, domesticated cats, and other seemingly-too-large mammals are hardly off limits. And if you think your kids are safe from these massive predators, think again.
In fact, a variety of eagle species members have tried to carry children off the ground before, presumably to call dinner. One hungry eagle tried to carry off a Scottish baby a while back, and another a child in Maine many years ago.
The good news is that they've never been known to try to lift an adult human off the ground for a snack, but man's best friend, the ever-lovable domesticated dog, is very much on the menu for larger Golden Eagles.
"I punched him maybe 10, 20 times," she said. "I didn't want to waste a moment."
But the bird wouldn't let go, according to the account of Sonia Doucet-Daigle, a Canadian dog owner, for the CBC. Doucet-Daigle then called out to her husband, Gilles Daigle, who quickly grabbed a shovel and hit the bird about five times.
That gave Doucet-Daigle enough time to grab Samson, the couple's dog, ripping a patch of skin from his head as she did.
"My husband was hitting to kill," she said. "It took a lot. He [the bird] still had Samson in his claws."
Sure, the eating-whole-deer problem is less common than a Golden Eagle swooping in for some Grade A salmon fresh out of the local river, but a possibility nonetheless. Sika deer, for example, are a smaller species of deer ranging from about 40 to 60 pounds each at maturity and spanning the plains of Eurasia, and happen to be a favorite of hungry Golden Eagles. More typically-large, almost horse-like North American deer are rarer delicacies for their local Golden Eagle neighbors, but fawns more than occasionally fall victim to these hungry sky predators.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, eagles of all types tend to go after local fox, grazing sheep, and other small furries with some small and medium-sized cities even publishing their own tallies and reports of Golden Eagles near their townsfolk. According to the city of Oneonta, New York's website,
"Fifty-seven migrating Golden Eagles were tallied at the Franklin Mt. Hawkwatch, near Oneonta, on November 11 by counters Steve Hall, Fred Fries and Kyle Dudgeon. This is the second highest daily count in the 28-year history of the site, topped only by the 71 counted exactly eleven years prior, Nov. 11, 2005. The previous second high was 51 on 11/20/2003.
The count stands as the highest daily count this season in the eastern US, surpassing totals at such well-known sites as Hawk Mountain and Waggoner’s Gap in Pennsylvania.
The Franklin Mt. Hawkwatch is located on the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society’s wildlife sanctuary on the south side of the Susquehanna River valley, looking northward over the city of Oneonta. The site typically records over 5000 raptors each fall season, of 15 different species.
The November 11 tally total brings the seasonal count to 196, ensuring that Franklin Mt. will surpass 200 Golden Eagles for the first time in a decade, and provides a possibility of breaking the seasonal high of 252 in 2005."
And that 5,000 number you just read? If it seems high or larger than usual, it's accurate. Eagle researcher Trish Miller said there are probably around 5,000 of these beauties just east of the Mississippi River, compared to far lower estimates of 1,000 to 2,500 when she and her husband, Michael Lanzone, began studying them in back in 2005. Other reputable scientists have come up with similar figures.
If you're looking to spot your own Golden Eagle or just keep the family pet safe, keep in mind this fully-matured bird will look similar to a young or adolescent Bald Eagle, with limited white patches or plumes, and a primarily golden-brown head and body that seem to gently glisten in the sun. If you catch one heading for warm-blooded, furry prey like rabbits, coyote cubs, or squirrels, there's a good chance it is, in fact, a Golden Eagle, because their bald cousins strongly prefer eating fish from rivers and lakes and the occasional food fight over cold water delicacies with local osprey.
Or, you can always link up with a local bird watching group or interact with birding clubs to find the best viewing areas, typically on the edge of woodland preserves and open expanses with fresh water and abundant wildlife. Fall and winter seem to be the most active Golden Eagle viewing seasons in the United States, according to experts.
If you've had your own run-ins with these massive birds of prey, we'd love to hear about your experience in the comments section below.
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