Family
HAWKS & EAGLES
Adult bird. Photo: P. Stepanek
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
This largest Eagle of Armenia is quite adaptable and can easily switch between different food items, such as hare, bezoar goat, fox, partridge, and other medium sized prey. This species is a very powerful hunter, which kills the prey with its strong toes and claws. In the same time, the Golden Eagles often feed on carrion. That is why it finds a breeding destination from lowlands up to sub-alpine area. It breeds on high cliffs, building its huge nests on the covered ledges to stay safe and secure of land predators. The only place which is not inhabited by Golden Eagle is the dense deciduous forest, where this long-winged raptor faces difficulty to fly between tree trunks. Golden Eagles are usually laying two eggs, but as a rule, the shortage of food causes survival only one – stronger nestling, which kills its peer.
Conservation status
While the number of Golden Eagles in Armenia is relatively low, they remain stable during last decade. Some poaching on the species exists and can potentially harm the population, which means that appropriate measures on increase of punishments and strengthening the control over poaching should be undertaken.
Habitat and Plumage
Open areas with obligatory presence of cliffs, from semi-deserts at about 600 to subalpine areas at about 2.400 m a.s.l. Open areas with obligatory presence of cliffs, from semi-deserts at about 600 to subalpine areas at about 2.400 m a.s.l.
More about this bird species
Habitat
Open areas with obligatory presence of cliffs, from semi-deserts at about 600 to subalpine areas at about 2.400 m a.s.l.
Food & Feeding
Prefers medium-sized mammals, mainly rodents, rabbits and hares; also, normally to lesser degree, birds, particularly game-birds, including large grouse; much less frequently lizards and snakes; also carrion, especially in winter.
Breeding
Laying starts in Feb until May. Nests on ledges of cliffs and crags. Normally 2 eggs (1–3), laid at interval of 3 days; incubation c. 41–45 days per egg, almost exclusively by female; hatching asynchronous; chicks have first and second downs white or whitish; younger chick often dies due to older sibling's attacks; fledging 65–80 days. Young can be dependent on adults and fed by them for some months, and sometimes tolerated in adults' home range until following season.
Movements
The species is resident to the country and doesn't perform any migrations.
Family
Source of information
The information is adapted from the Handbook to the Birds of the World.
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related information
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