Page 52 - Present Day Wildlife_Float

An eagle is any large bird of prey capable of hunting vertebrates, 50cm long. All eagles be-
long to the family Accipitridae. Within this family there are several genera. One, the genus Aqui-
la (Latin: ‘eagle’), contains 11 species of true eagles. Altogether the family Accipitridae contains
68 species of eagles most of them native to Eurasia and Africa. 11 species can be found in the
Americas with two in North America, and nine in Central and South America. A further three are
in Australia. Eagles come in many dif-
ferent sizes and there is some dispute as
to the largest; the Philippine eagle being
cited by some as representative of the
largest, with a wingspan of around 2
meters, a length of about 100 cm and 8
to 9 kg in weight. The agreed smallest, is
the Great Nicobar serpent eagle, with a
wingspan of 85 to 95 cm, a weight
around 450 grams and a length around
38 to 42cm.

Eagles are large powerful birds
with heads heavier than most birds of
prey. They also have a large curved
tipped beak, designed to rip apart large
lumps of flesh. They may look majestic
soaring through the skies, but they are
too big and cumbersome and lack the
agility needed by aerial predators to
catch prey in flight. Their prey is located on the ground. For this, they have
very powerful eyesight, an absolute necessity for locating prey from a great
height. Once spotted, they use surprise; swooping or diving down at great
speed and without touching the ground snatch the startled prey in its sharp
talons and returns to its eyrie to share it with its partner (Eagles are monoga-
mous) or feed its chicks.

Eagles live in many different environments across the globe. There is
however, one feature common to all eagles; as egg layers, they build nests, or
eyries to raise their chicks. These nests are always built at a very high eleva-
tion, usually on top of the highest tree, or mountain peaks, giving the eagle a
panoramic view of its surroundings, especially the ground below. Their nests
are always built close to their main source of food. For instance, the Bald ea-
gle hunts fish and prefers to build its nest near lakes, coastlines and rivers,
whereas the Harpy eagle hunts macaws, monkeys, and sloths and will build
its nest in dense tree areas like tropical forests.

Apart from the African Vulturine Fish-Eagle that feeds on fleshy fruit-
husks of the oil palm, wild dates, oranges, and other fruits, eagles are pre-
dominantly carnivores. In this respect they can be divided roughly into four
groups;

Sea eagles, (called fish, or fishing eagles)
These eagles live along rivers, big lakes, and low-lying coastlines, specialising
in catching and eating fish.
Booted eagles,
These smaller eagles hunt small mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians and
insects.
Snake eagles (serpent eagles)
Feed on a diet of reptiles, primarily snakes, even large poisonous snakes.
Giant Harpy (forest) eagles,
These large eagles are apex predators and are at the top of the food chain,
feeding on macaws, monkeys, and sloths.