Eagle is the common name for the

golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of pr ...

bald eagle The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche ...

, and other

birds of prey Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as (although not the same as) raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively predation, hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and smaller birds). In addition to speed ...

in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus '' Aquila''. Most of the 68

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of eagles are from

Eurasia Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...

and

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

. Outside this area, just 14 species can be found—two in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, nine in Central and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

, and three in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. Eagles are not a natural group but denote essentially any kind of bird of prey large enough to hunt sizeable (about 50 cm long or more overall)

vertebrate Vertebrates () are animals with a vertebral column (backbone or spine), and a cranium, or skull. The vertebral column surrounds and protects the spinal cord, while the cranium protects the brain. The vertebrates make up the subphylum Vertebra ...

Etymology

The word "eagle" is borrowed into English from and , both derived ultimately from ("eagle"). It is cognate with terms such as , and . It is broadly synonymous with the less common English term "erne" or "earn", deriving from , from , in which it acts as the usual word for the bird. The Old English term is turn derived from and is cognate with other synonymous words in Germanic languages such as , and . Through the

Proto-Indo-European Proto-Indo-European (PIE) is the reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European language family. No direct record of Proto-Indo-European exists; its proposed features have been derived by linguistic reconstruction from documented Indo-Euro ...

root, it is further related to words such as ("bird") and ("eagle"). Although "erne" can be used to refer to any eagle, it is most commonly used for the golden eagle or sea-eagle.

Description

Eagles are large, powerfully-built

, with heavy heads and beaks. Even the smallest eagles, such as the booted eagle (''Hieraaetus pennatus''), which is comparable in size to a common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'') or red-tailed hawk (''B. jamaicensis''), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight, despite the reduced size of their aerodynamic feathers. Most eagles are larger than any other raptors, apart from some vultures. The smallest species of eagle is the Great Nicobar serpent eagle (''Spilornis klossi''), at and . The largest species are discussed below. Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large hooked beaks for ripping flesh from their prey, strong, muscular legs, and powerful talons. The beak is typically heavier than that of most other birds of prey. Eagles' eyes are extremely powerful. It is estimated that the

wedge-tailed eagle The wedge-tailed eagle (''Aquila audax'') also known as the eaglehawk, is the largest bird of prey in the continent of Australia. It is also found in southern New Guinea to the north and is distributed as far south as the state of Tasmania. A ...

has a

visual acuity Visual acuity (VA) commonly refers to the clarity of visual perception, vision, but technically rates an animal's ability to recognize small details with precision. Visual acuity depends on optical and neural factors. Optical factors of the eye ...

twice that of a typical human. This acuity enables eagles to spot potential prey from a very long distance. This keen eyesight is primarily attributed to their extremely large pupils which ensure minimal

diffraction Diffraction is the deviation of waves from straight-line propagation without any change in their energy due to an obstacle or through an aperture. The diffracting object or aperture effectively becomes a secondary source of the Wave propagation ...

(scattering) of the incoming light. Like most diurnal raptors, eagles have little ability to see

ultraviolet Ultraviolet radiation, also known as simply UV, is electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths of 10–400 nanometers, shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation is present in sunlight and constitutes about 10% of ...

light. The female of all known species of eagles is larger than the male. Eagles normally build their nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs. Many species lay two eggs, but the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched. The parents take no action to stop the killing. It is said that eagles fly above clouds but this is not true. Eagles fly during storms and glide from the wind's pressure. This saves the bird's energy. Due to the size and power of many eagle species, they are ranked at the top of the food chain as apex predators in the avian world. The type of prey varies by genus. The '' Haliaeetus'' and '' Icthyophaga'' eagles prefer to capture fish, though the species in the former often capture various animals, especially other water birds, and are powerful kleptoparasites of other birds. The snake and serpent eagles of the genera '' Circaetus'', '' Terathopius'', and '' Spilornis'' predominantly prey on the great diversity of

snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...

s found in the tropics of Africa and Asia. The eagles of the genus '' Aquila'' are often the top birds of prey in open habitats, taking almost any medium-sized

they can catch. Where ''Aquila'' eagles are absent, other eagles, such as the buteonine black-chested buzzard-eagle of South America, may assume the position of top raptorial predator in open areas. Many other eagles, including the species-rich genus '' Spizaetus'', live predominantly in woodlands and forests. These eagles often target various arboreal or ground-dwelling mammals and birds, which are often unsuspectingly ambushed in such dense, knotty environments. Hunting techniques differ among the species and genera, with some individual eagles having engaged in quite varied techniques based on their environment and prey at any given time. Most eagles grab prey without landing and take flight with it, so the prey can be carried to a perch and torn apart. The

is noted for having flown with the heaviest load verified to be carried by any flying bird, since one eagle flew with a

mule deer The mule deer (''Odocoileus hemionus'') is a deer indigenous to western North America; it is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule. Two subspecies of mule deer are grouped into the black-tailed deer. Unlike the related whit ...

fawn. However, a few eagles may target prey considerably heavier than themselves; such prey is too heavy to fly with, thus it is either eaten at the site of the kill or taken in pieces back to a perch or nest. Golden and crowned eagles have killed

ungulate Ungulates ( ) are members of the diverse clade Euungulata ("true ungulates"), which primarily consists of large mammals with Hoof, hooves. Once part of the clade "Ungulata" along with the clade Paenungulata, "Ungulata" has since been determined ...

s weighing up to and a martial eagle even killed a

duiker A duiker is a small to medium-sized brown antelope native to sub-Saharan Africa, found in heavily wooded areas. The 22 extant species, including three sometimes considered to be subspecies of the other species, form the subfamily Cephalophinae ...

, 7–8 times heavier than the preying eagle. Authors on birds David Allen Sibley, Pete Dunne, and Clay Sutton described the behavioral difference between hunting eagles and other birds of prey thus (in this case the bald and golden eagles as compared to other North American raptors):

They have at least one singular characteristic. It has been observed that most birds of prey look back over their shoulders before striking prey (or shortly thereafter); predation is after all a two-edged sword. All hawks seem to have this habit, from the smallest kestrel to the largest Ferruginous – but not the Eagles.

Among the eagles are some of the largest birds of prey: only the

condor Condor is the common name for two species of New World vultures, each in a monotypic genus. The name derives from the Quechua language, Quechua ''kuntur''. They are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere. One species, the And ...

s and some of the Old World vultures are markedly larger. It is regularly debated which should be considered the largest species of eagle. They could be measured variously in total length, body mass, or wingspan. Different lifestyle needs among various eagles result in variable measurements from species to species. For example, many forest-dwelling eagles, including the very large

harpy eagle The harpy eagle (''Harpia harpyja'') is a large Neotropical realm, neotropical species of eagle. It is also called the American harpy eagle to distinguish it from the Papuan eagle, which is sometimes known as the New Guinea Harpy Eagle, New Guin ...

, have relatively short wingspans, a feature necessary for being able to maneuver in quick, short bursts through densely forested habitats. Eagles in the genus ''Aquila'', found almost exclusively in open country, are noted for their ability to soar, and have relatively long wings for their size. These lists of the top five eagles are based on weight, length, and wingspan, respectively. Unless otherwise noted by reference, the figures listed are the median reported for each measurement in the guide ''Raptors of the World'' in which only measurements that could be personally verified by the authors were listed.

Habitat

The eagles are generally distributed in all types of habitats and nearly all parts of the world. The birds can be found in northern tundra to tropical rainforests and deserts. In North America, bald eagles and golden eagles are very common.

Distribution

* Australasian ** Australia:

(range extends into southern New Guinea), white-bellied sea-eagle (range extends into Asia), little eagle. ** New Guinea: Papuan eagle, white-bellied sea-eagle, pygmy eagle. * Nearctic (USA and Canada):

(also found in Palearctic),

. * Neotropical (Central and South America): '' Spizaetus'' (four species), solitary eagles (two spp.),

, crested eagle, black-chested buzzard-eagle. *

Palearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is a biogeographic realm of the Earth, the largest of eight. Confined almost entirely to the Eastern Hemisphere, it stretches across Europe and Asia, north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. Th ...

(

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

, Northern Africa,

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

without

South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...

and

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

) **

Golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of pr ...

, White-tailed eagle. * Subsaharan Africa: African fish eagle, Martial Eagle, Crowned eagle, Verreaux's eagle, Tawny eagle, Long-crested eagle

Groups

Eagles are often informally divided into four groups. from The snake eagles are placed in the subfamily Circaetinae. The fish eagles, booted eagles, and harpy eagles have traditionally been placed in the subfamily Buteoninae together with the buzzard-hawks (buteonine hawks) and harriers. Some authors may treat these groups as tribes of the Buteoninae; Lerner & Mindell proposed separating the eagle groups into their own subfamilies of Accipitridae.

Fish eagles

Sea eagles or fish eagles take fish as a large part of their diets, either fresh or as carrion. Proposed subfamily Haliaeetinae. Genera: '' Haliaeetus'', '' Icthyophaga''. Some authors include ''Gypohierax angolensis'', the "vulturine fish eagle" (also called the palm-nut vulture) in this group. However, genetic analyses indicate it is related to a grouping of ''Neophron''–''Gypaetus''–''Eutriorchis'' ( Egyptian vulture, bearded vulture (lammergeier), and Madagascar serpent eagle). The fish eagles have a close genetic relationship with '' Haliastur'' and '' Milvus''; the whole group is only distantly related to the ''Buteo'' group. Fish eagles exist in every continent throughout the world, except for South America. Although fish eagles can be found in many different places around the world, they have been classified as "Near Threatened". Reasons such as overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction, and the use of pesticides have contributed to the species' rapid population drop.

Booted eagles

The booted eagle is a group of eagle that typically migrates across the Sahara Desert to Europe. It usually reaches Europe around the beginning of March and leaves by the end of September. These types of eagles usually mate with the same partner and return to the same areas years later. Female booted eagles usually lay 1-4 eggs, which promptly hatch after 37 to 40 days. Researchers estimate that there are between 3600 and 6900 pairs of booted eagles in Europe, which are mostly situated in the Iberian Peninsula. Booted eagle in flight

Booted eagles or "true eagles" have feathered tarsi (lower legs). Tribe Aquililae or proposed subfamily Aquilinae. Genera: ''Aquila'', ''Hieraaetus''; ''Spizaetus'', ''Oroaetus'', ''Spizastur''; ''Nisaetus''; ''Ictinaetus'', ''Lophoaetus''; ''Polemaetus''; and ''Stephanoaetus''. See comments under eagle species for changes to the composition of these genera.

Snake eagles

Most snake or serpent eagles, as the name suggests, primarily prey on snakes. * Subfamily Circaetinae. Genera: ''Circaetus'', ''Spilornis'', ''Dryotriorchis'', ''Terathopius''. * ''Eutriorchis'' (subfamily Gypaetinae or Circaetinae). Despite filling the niche of a snake eagle, genetic studies suggest that the Madagascar serpent eagle (''Eutriorchis'') is not related to them. Over several decades, a great deal of research has been done on the Snake-eagle's diet, which is mainly made up of reptiles, especially snakes. When it comes to catching snakes, it is generally accepted that the bird exhibits generalist feeding behavior, which means it does not hunt down specific types of snakes but rather feeds on them depending on their availability in the wild.

Harpy eagles

Harpy eagles or "giant forest eagles" are large eagles that inhabit tropical forests. The group contains two to six species, depending on the author. Although these birds occupy similar niches and have traditionally been grouped, they are not all related: the solitary eagles are related to the black hawks and the Philippine eagle to the snake eagles. * Harpy eagles (proposed subfamily Harpiinae) ** ''Harpia harpyja'',

― Central and South America. ** ''Morphnus guianensis'', crested eagle ― Central and South America. ** ''Harpyopsis novaeguineae'', Papuan eagle ― New Guinea. * Philippine eagle ** ''Pithecophaga jefferyi'', Philippine eagle ― Philippines. * Solitary eagles ** Chaco eagle or crowned solitary eagle, '' Buteogallus'' (formerly '' Harpyhaliaetus'') ''coronatus'' ― South America. ** Solitary eagle or montane solitary eagle, '' Buteogallus'' (formerly '' Harpyhaliaetus'') ''solitarius'' ― South America.

Species

Major new research into eagle

taxonomy image:Hierarchical clustering diagram.png, 280px, Generalized scheme of taxonomy Taxonomy is a practice and science concerned with classification or categorization. Typically, there are two parts to it: the development of an underlying scheme o ...

suggests that the important genera ''Aquila'' and ''Hieraaetus'' are not composed of nearest relatives, and it is likely that a reclassification of these genera will soon take place, with some species being moved to ''Lophaetus'' or ''Ictinaetus''. * Bonelli's eagle and the African hawk-eagle have been moved from ''Hieraaetus'' to ''Aquila''. *Either the greater spotted eagle and lesser spotted eagle should move from ''Aquila'' to join the long-crested eagle in ''Lophaetus'', or, perhaps better, all three of these species should move to ''Ictinaetus'' with the black eagle. *The steppe eagle and tawny eagle, once thought to be conspecific, are not even each other's nearest relatives. Family Accipitridae *Subfamily Buteoninae – hawks (buzzards), true eagles and seaeagles **Genus ''Geranoaetus'' *** Black-chested buzzard-eagle, ''Geranoaetus melanoleucus'' **Genus '' Harpyhaliaetus'' *** Chaco eagle, ''Buteogallus coronatus'' *** Solitary eagle, ''H. solitarius'' **Genus ''Morphnus'' *** Crested eagle, ''Morphnus guianensis'' **Genus ''Harpia'' ***

Harpy eagle The harpy eagle (''Harpia harpyja'') is a large Neotropical realm, neotropical species of eagle. It is also called the American harpy eagle to distinguish it from the Papuan eagle, which is sometimes known as the New Guinea Harpy Eagle, New Guin ...

, ''Harpia harpyja'' **Genus ''Pithecophaga'' *** Philippine eagle, ''Pithecophaga jefferyi'' **Genus ''Harpyopsis'' *** Papuan eagle, ''Harpyopsis novaeguineae'' **Genus '' Spizaetus'' *** Black hawk-eagle, ''S. tyrannus'' *** Ornate hawk-eagle, ''S. ornatus'' *** Black-and-white hawk-eagle, ''S. melanoleucus'' – formerly ''Spizastur'' *** Black-and-chestnut eagle, ''S. isidori'' – formerly ''Oroaetus'' **Genus '' Nisaetus'' – previously included in ''Spizaetus'' *** Changeable hawk-eagle, ''N. cirrhatus'' **** Flores hawk-eagle ''N. floris'' – earlier a subspecies, ''S. c. floris'' *** Sulawesi hawk-eagle, ''N. lanceolatus'' *** Mountain hawk-eagle, ''N. nipalensis'' **** Legge's hawk-eagle, ''Nisaetus kelaarti'' – previously a race of ''S. nipalensis'' *** Blyth's hawk-eagle, ''N. alboniger'' *** Javan hawk-eagle, ''N. bartelsi'' ***(Northern) Philippine hawk-eagle, ''N. philippensis'' **** Pinsker's hawk-eagle (Southern Philippine hawk-eagle), ''Nisaetus pinskeri'' – earlier ''S. philippensis pinskeri'' *** Wallace's hawk-eagle, ''N. nanus'' **Genus ''Lophaetus'' *** Long-crested eagle, ''Lophaetus occipitalis'' – possibly belongs in ''Ictinaetus'' **Genus ''Stephanoaetus'' *** Crowned eagle, ''Stephanoaetus coronatus'' *** Malagasy crowned eagle, ''Stephanoaetus mahery'' **Genus ''Polemaetus'' *** Martial eagle, ''Polemaetus bellicosus'' **Genus '' Hieraaetus'' *** Ayres's hawk-eagle, ''H. ayresii'' *** Little eagle, ''H. morphnoides'' *** Pygmy eagle, ''H. weiskei'' – previously subspecies ''H. m. weiskei'' *** Booted eagle, ''H. pennatus'' *** Haast's eagle, †H. moorei **Genus ''Lophotriorchis'' *** Rufous-bellied eagle, ''L. kienerii'' Eagle Lahore Zoo June302005

**Genus '' Aquila'' *** Bonelli's eagle, ''Aquila fasciata'' – formerly ''Hieraaetus fasciatus'' *** African hawk-eagle, ''A. spilogaster'' – formerly in ''Hieraaetus'' *** Cassin's hawk-eagle, ''A. africana'' – formerly in ''Hieraaetus'' or ''Spizaetus'' genera ***

, ''A. chrysaetos'' *** Eastern imperial eagle, ''A. heliaca'' *** Spanish imperial eagle ''A. adalberti'' *** Steppe eagle, ''A. nipalensis'' *** Tawny eagle, ''A. rapax'' *** Greater spotted eagle, ''A. clanga'' – to be moved to ''Lophaetus'' or ''Ictinaetus'' *** Lesser spotted eagle, ''A. pomarina'' – to be moved to ''Lophaetus'' or ''Ictinaetus'' *** Indian spotted eagle, ''A. hastata'' – to be moved to ''Lophaetus'' or ''Ictinaetus'' *** Verreaux's eagle, ''A. verreauxii'' *** Gurney's eagle, ''A. gurneyi'' *** Wahlberg's eagle, ''A. wahlbergi'' – to be moved to ''Hieraaetus'' ***

Wedge-tailed eagle The wedge-tailed eagle (''Aquila audax'') also known as the eaglehawk, is the largest bird of prey in the continent of Australia. It is also found in southern New Guinea to the north and is distributed as far south as the state of Tasmania. A ...

, ''A. audax'' **Genus ''Ictinaetus'' *** Black eagle, ''Ictinaetus malaiensis'' **Genus '' Haliaeetus'' *** White-tailed eagle, ''Haliaeetus albicilla'' ***

Bald eagle The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche ...

, ''H. leucocephalus'' *** Steller's sea eagle, ''H. pelagicus'' *** Pallas' sea eagle, ''H. leucoryphus'' **Genus '' Icthyophaga'' *** Lesser fish eagle, ''Icthyophaga humilis'' *** Grey-headed fish eagle, ''I. ichthyaetus'' *** African fish eagle, ''I. vocifer'' *** White-bellied sea eagle, ''I. leucogaster'' *** Sanford's sea eagle, ''I. sanfordi'' *** Madagascar fish eagle, ''I. vociferoides'' CircaetusGallicus

*Subfamily Circaetinae: snake-eagles **Genus ''Terathopius'' *** Bateleur, ''Terathopius ecaudatus'' **Genus '' Circaetus'' *** Short-toed snake eagle, ''Circaetus gallicus'' *** Beaudouin's snake eagle, ''Circaetus beaudouini'' *** Black-chested snake eagle, ''C. pectoralis'' *** Brown snake eagle, ''C. cinereus'' *** Fasciated snake eagle, ''C. fasciolatus'' *** Western banded snake eagle, ''C. cinerascens'' **Genus '' Dryotriorchis'' *** Congo serpent eagle, ''D. spectabilis'' **Genus '' Spilornis'' *** Crested serpent eagle, ''Spilornis cheela'' **** Central Nicobar serpent eagle, ''S. minimus'' (subspecies or species) *** Great Nicobar serpent eagle, ''S. klossi'' *** Mountain serpent eagle, ''S. kinabaluensis'' *** Sulawesi serpent eagle, ''S. rufipectus'' *** Philippine serpent eagle, ''S. holospilus'' *** Andaman serpent eagle, ''S. elgini'' **Genus ''Eutriorchis'' *** Madagascar serpent eagle, ''Eutriorchis astur''

In culture

Etymology

The modern English term for the bird is derived from by way of . The origin of is unknown, but it is believed to possibly derive from (meaning dark-colored, swarthy, or blackish) as a reference to the plumage of eagles.

Old English Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...

used the term , related to Scandinavia's '' ørn/ örn''. It is similar to other

Indo-European The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the northern Indian subcontinent, most of Europe, and the Iranian plateau with additional native branches found in regions such as Sri Lanka, the Maldives, parts of Central Asia (e. ...

terms for "bird" or "eagle", including (), (), and . In the southern part of

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

, near the

Gulf of Finland The Gulf of Finland (; ; ; ) is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and Estonia to the south, to Saint Petersburg—the second largest city of Russia—to the east, where the river Neva drains into it. ...

, is the town of

Kotka Kotka (; ) is a town in Finland, located on the southeastern coast of the country at the mouth of the Kymi River. The population of Kotka is approximately , while the Kotka-Hamina sub-region, sub-region has a population of approximately . It is th ...

, which literally means "eagle", while the town of

L'Aquila L'Aquila ( ; ; ) is a city and ''comune'' in central Italy. It is the capital city of the Province of L'Aquila and the Abruzzo region in Italy. , it has a population of 69,902. Laid out within medieval walls on a hill in the wide valley of the A ...

in the central part of

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

literally means "the eagle". In Britain before 1678, ''eagle'' referred specifically to the

, with the other native species, the white-tailed eagle, being known as ''erne''. The modern name "golden eagle" for ''aquila chrysaetos'' was introduced by the naturalist John Ray. The village of

Eagle Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (), abbreviated ''Lincs'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England. It is bordered by the East Riding of Yorkshire across the Humber estuary to th ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, has nothing to do with the bird; its name is derived from the Old English words for "oak" and "wood" (compare ''Oakley'').

Religion and spirituality

In the ancient Sumerian mythology, the mythical king Etana was said to have been carried into

heaven Heaven, or the Heavens, is a common Religious cosmology, religious cosmological or supernatural place where beings such as deity, deities, angels, souls, saints, or Veneration of the dead, venerated ancestors are said to originate, be throne, ...

by an eagle. Classical writers such as Lucan and

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/24 79), known in English as Pliny the Elder ( ), was a Roman Empire, Roman author, Natural history, naturalist, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the Roman emperor, emperor Vesp ...

claimed that the eagle was able to look directly at the sun, and that they forced their fledglings to do the same. Those that blinked would be cast from the nest. This belief persisted until the Medieval era. The eagle is the patron animal of the ancient Greek god

Zeus Zeus (, ) is the chief deity of the List of Greek deities, Greek pantheon. He is a sky father, sky and thunder god in ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, who rules as king of the gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus is the child ...

. In particular, Zeus was said to have taken the form of an eagle in order to abduct Ganymede, and there are numerous artistic depictions of the eagle Zeus bearing Ganymede aloft, from Classical times up to the present (see illustrations in the

Ganymede (mythology) In Greek mythology, Ganymede ( ) or Ganymedes ( ; ) is a Greek hero, divine hero whose homeland was Troy. Homer describes Ganymede as the most handsome of mortals and tells the story of how he was abducted by the gods to serve as Zeus's cup-be ...

page.) Eagles appear metaphorically in many translations of the

Old Testament The Old Testament (OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew and occasionally Aramaic writings by the Isr ...

. God is spoken of as carrying Israel on "eagles' wings" in Exodus 19:4, Isaiah 40:31 compares those who wait on the Lord to flying eagles, and Psalm 103 mentions renewing one's youth "as the eagle". In explaining this rejuvenation,

Augustine of Hippo Augustine of Hippo ( , ; ; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430) was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced the development of Western philosop ...

says in his commentary on the

Psalms The Book of Psalms ( , ; ; ; ; , in Islam also called Zabur, ), also known as the Psalter, is the first book of the third section of the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) called ('Writings'), and a book of the Old Testament. The book is an anthology of B ...

that eagles' beaks overgrow as they age and that they break them against rocks to restore them. The translation, however, is uncertain: the word in the Hebrew, נשר, can also be translated vulture, and is listed alongside specific kinds of vulture in Leviticus' discussion of

unclean animals In some religions, an unclean animal is an animal whose consumption or handling is taboo. According to these religions, persons who handle such animals may need to Ritual purification, ritually purify themselves to get rid of their uncleanline ...

. The eagle is also often used in

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

iconography to represent the Gospel of John,Fonck, L. (1910)
St. John the Evangelist
In ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'' (New York: Robert Appleton Company). Retrieved 14 August 2017 from New Advent. and eagle-shaped lecterns are common in

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

and some Roman Catholic churches. The eagle was believed to be able to look directly into the sun in the same way that the Gospel of John looks directly at Jesus' divinity, and the great distances the eagle flies represent the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth. The United States eagle feather law stipulates that only individuals of certifiable Native American ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers for

religious Religion is a range of social- cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural ...

or spiritual reasons. In Canada, the

poaching Poaching is the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set against the huntin ...

of eagle feathers for the booming U.S. market has sometimes resulted in the arrests of First Nations person for the crime. The Moche people of ancient

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

worshiped the eagle and often depicted eagles in their art. The golden eagle was sacred to the

Aztec The Aztecs ( ) were a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in central Mexico in the Post-Classic stage, post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different Indigenous peoples of Mexico, ethnic groups of central ...

god Huitzilopochtli while the harpy eagle was sacred to Quetzalcoatl.

Heraldry

Eagles are an exceptionally common symbol in heraldry, being considered the "King of Birds" in contrast to the

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...

, the "King of Beasts". Whereas the lion (e.g. England) usually represents authority, the eagle is the symbol of power. They are particularly popular in Germanic countries such as Austria, due to their association with the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

. The eagle of the Holy Roman Empire was two-headed, supposedly representing the two divisions,

East East is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fact that ea ...

and West, of the old Roman Empire. This motif, derived from the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire was also adopted by the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

and is still featured in the Flag of Albania. The Roman eagle was preceded by the eagle of

Ptolemaic Egypt Ptolemaic is the adjective formed from the name Ptolemy, and may refer to: Pertaining to the Ptolemaic dynasty * Ptolemaic dynasty, the Macedonian Greek dynasty that ruled Egypt founded in 305 BC by Ptolemy I Soter *Ptolemaic Kingdom Pertaining ...

and the

Achaemenid Empire The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire, also known as the Persian Empire or First Persian Empire (; , , ), was an Iranian peoples, Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC. Based in modern-day Iran, i ...

. In the coat of arms of

, Finland, the eagle is depicted carrying an

anchor An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, used to secure a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the craft from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ', which itself comes from the Greek (). Anch ...

and the caduceus on its feet. Heraldic eagles are most often found ''displayed'', i.e. with their wings and legs extended. They can also occur ''close'', i.e. with their wings folded, or ''rising'', i.e. about to take flight. The heads, wings, and legs of eagles can also be found independently. Eagles symbolize strength, courage, and independence and are commonly found in the heraldry of many nations across the world. Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Dagestan, Egypt, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Montenegro, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Palestine, Panama, Russia, Romania, Serbia, South Sudan, Somaliland, the United States of America, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are the nations whose coats of arms feature an eagle. The eagle's continuing significance and worldwide appeal as a forceful symbol in national identity and imagery is demonstrated by its widespread usage.

Notes

References

External links