Eagles are large birds of prey. They belong to the Accipitridae family, which includes other birds of prey such as hawks, kites and vultures. Eagles are classified as raptors, which means they hunt other vertebrates for food.
Eagles have keen eyesight and a highly developed sense of smell to help them find their prey in faraway places. Their wingspan can reach 7 feet (2 meters) across, but they are only about 2 feet (60 centimeters) tall at the shoulder. Because they have such large wing surfaces relative to their size, eagles can fly at high altitudes where there is less oxygen available than at sea level. This allows them to soar without flapping their wings as much as other birds do when they fly long distances.
There are 33 species of eagles worldwide: 8 in Africa, 15 in North America and 13 in Eurasia (Europe). The different types have adapted to different habitats around the world, so not all breeds live in forests or near water like some people think! In fact, some eagles live in deserts!
Breeds of Eagles
Eagles are classified into two types: sea and land.
Sea Eagles
- Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States, and one of its largest birds of prey. It is found in North America, from Alaska to Newfoundland, south through Canada to Mexico and from coast to coast in the U.S. It is usually found near water (such as lakes, rivers, or coasts), but it also occurs in desert areas.
- White-tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla)
The white-tailed eagle is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which includes other raptors such as hawks, eagles, and vultures. This species breeds from eastern Europe eastwards through northern Asia to Kamchatka and Japan; throughout the rest of its range it is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa, southern Asia and Australasia. Like many other large eagles, it supplements its hunting ability by scavenging carrion when necessary; it has been known to take prey as heavy as adults
Eagles are large birds of prey in the family Accipitridae. There are many different types of eagles, all of which are members of the genus Aquila.
Aquila (Latin for “eagle”) is a genus of eagles in the Accipitridae family that contains ten extant species. Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from some vultures.
Some eagles, such as the white-tailed eagle and Steller’s sea eagle, are very large, powerful birds; others, like the bald eagle and golden eagle, are smaller at a typical weight of 1–1.7 kg (2–3 lb). The smallest eagles, such as short-toed and long-legged eagles, weigh as little as 0.5 kg (1 lb). In fact, most species of accipitrid have relatively short wings compared with other birds of prey. This is because they do not need to fly long distances; they kill their prey at close range and prefer to ambush it rather than pursue it over long distances
The bald eagle is the official bird of the United States. It was adopted as such in 1782. But there are two other species of eagles native to North America. These are the golden eagle and the American bald eagle.
Golden Eagle
Golden eagles are the largest birds of prey in North America, with a wingspan of up to 7 feet (2 meters). They can weigh up to 14 pounds (6 kilograms). These birds have brown feathers on their backs and yellow feathers on their chests. They have white heads with yellow beaks and black eyes.
American Bald Eagle
The American bald eagle is smaller than its cousin, with a wingspan between 6 and 7 feet (1.8 and 2 meters). It can weigh up to 11 pounds (5 kilograms). These birds have brown feathers on their backs and white feathers on their chests. They have white heads with black eyes and hooked beaks made for tearing meat from carcasses.
There are many types of eagles, and most of them are found in the Americas. They have sharp talons, which help them catch and kill prey. Eagles have been seen feasting on all sorts of animals, from mice to deer.
The Bald Eagle
Bald eagles live in North America and can be found in every state except Hawaii. They eat fish, ducks, small mammals and snakes. Their wingspan is up to six feet wide. The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States.