Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Golden eagles have earned their name due to the golden feathers on the back of their head and neck, while the rest of their bodies are deep brown. They may often get confused for juvenile bald eagles which are also all brown, but golden eagles are much larger. They can be found across the Northern Hemisphere in the mountains of Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America. Only one out of the six subspecies of golden eagle is found in North America and can be found in the western regions of the United States. Just like in the United States the national bird is the bald eagle, the golden eagle is the national animal in other countries like Albania, Germany, Austria, Mexico, and Kazakhstan. These birds hold importance in many other countries and in the United States is protected by The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and The Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Click HERE for a Golden Eagle Activity Sheet!
Our Current Resident
Oro, Male – Hatched on June 1, 2006 (estimated and celebrated)
Oro came to ZooMontana in 2007 as a juvenile. Idaho Fish and Game estimated he was about one or two years old at the time when he was deemed non-releasable due to a vehicle collision. Oro may not be the most active animal at the Zoo, but he is always visible whether he is perched on the branch in the middle of his habitat or hanging out somewhere along the back wall.
taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Ave
- Order: Accipitriformes
- Family: Accipitridae
- Genus: Aquila
- Species: Aquila chrysaetos
Animal Facts
Carnivore: mainly eat rabbits, squirrels, foxes, martens, and even young deer
Population Status (according to IUCN): currently listed as Least Concern
Montana Population Status (according to Montana Field Guide): currently listed as Species of Concern
Habitat: mountains, canyonlands, rimrock terrain, and riverside cliffs, and bluff
Activity: diurnal- mostly active during the day
