Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) [XC418527]
by from Soomaa National Park, P\u00e4rnu County, Estonia (call)
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) [XC842235]
by Birger H\u00f6rnfeldt from Vindeln, Vindeln Municipality, V\u00e4sterbottens l\u00e4n, Sweden (begging call)
Nest
A large platform of twigs on a cliff ledge. Rarely in a tree.
Eggs (Guide)
2; white, heavily blotched with red-brown; ellipsoidal. Incubation: about 40 days; by female.
Subspecies
Has been considered to form superspecies with Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax), and perhaps also with Gurney's Eagle (Aquila gurneyi). Subspecies kamtschatica often included in canadensis.
The following 6 subspecies are recognised:
homeyeri Severtsov, 1888 - Iberian Peninsula, north-western Africa and large Mediterranean islands east through Egypt, Asia Minor and Arabia to Caucasus and Iran.
chrysaetos (Linnaeus, 1758) - North-western and central Europe east to western and central Siberia and Altai.
daphanea Severtsov, 1888 - Turkestan east to Manchuria, and south to Pakistan, Himalayas and south-western China.
japonica Severtsov, 1888 - Korea and Japan.
kamtschatica Severtsov, 1888 - Western and central Siberia and Altai east to Kamchatka.
canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) - North America, from Alaska south to Durango (west-central Mexico), and east to Labrador, Quebec and New York.
The Reader's Digest Book of British Birds 1980, 3rd Edition, Drive Publications Ltd ISBN 0 340 25308 8
Birds in Colour Campbell, B., 1960, Penguin Books Ltd
The Pocket Guide to Nest and Eggs Fitter, R.S.R., 1954, Collins
RSPB Handbook of British Birds Holden, P., Cleeves, T., 2002, A & C Black ISBN 0 7136 5713 8
Birds of Britain and Europe Sterry, P., et al., 2001, AA Publishing ISBN 0 7495 3068 5
The Popular Handbook of British Birds Hollom, P.A.D., 1973, H.F. & G. Witherby Ltd ISBN 0 85493 002 7
BirdLife International Species Factsheet