They are an order belonging to the class Aves (Birds) of the Vertebrates, under the division Carinatae (carinates). They are carnivorous land birds. Their beaks are hooked.
The EAGLE is a creature that inspires respect and dread with its terrifying gaze, sharp talons, keen beak, and proud, dominant posture. Not only birds but also many land animals fear it. With a length (from the tip of its beak to the end of its tail) of one meter, the eagle is considered the king of birds. Its dark brown feathers, fiery gaze, and majesty in flight with its wide-open wings have long caught the attention of humans.
What are the types of eagles?
There are many species, such as the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca), American Golden Eagle (Aguila canadensis), Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus gallicus), Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga), and similar ones. Many rulers have used the image of the Imperial Eagle or the Golden Eagle in their coats of arms to show their power and splendor. The Golden Eagle, which is the emblem of our Air Forces today and is called the SELJUK EAGLE, went down in history as the emblem of the Anatolian Seljuk State.
What is the size of eagles?
The Golden Eagle lives in North Africa, Western, Central, and East Asia, and Anatolia. Its length is 80-95 cm. When it opens its wings, the length from tip to tip reaches 3 meters.
What do eagles feed on?
The Golden Eagle feeds on small animals like rabbits and squirrels, as well as small birds. It also attacks animals like mountain goats and deer that live in the mountains. When diving onto its prey, it descends at a dizzying speed (160 km per hour). It builds its nest on rocks on the bare and steep slopes of high mountains.
The Golden Eagle can soar on air currents at high altitudes for a long time without flapping its wings. When it spots an animal that could be its prey, it folds its wings and descends to the ground at great speed, much like a diving aircraft. Then, it grips its prey with its strong talons and rises with the same speed. It either consumes its prey after landing on a rock or tears it apart to feed its young. The Golden Eagle’s young are very hungry. Keeping them fed is a major problem for the parents. Therefore, the golden eagle collects the prey it catches near its nest and ensures that its young can find food readily available in this ‘pantry’ whenever they are hungry.
A Golden Eagle eats 5 partridges, 2-3 rabbits, and a rooster in 24 hours… Regarding the Golden Eagle’s reproduction, the female lays two white eggs with reddish spots. After an incubation period lasting five weeks, chicks covered in pure white feathers hatch from these eggs. The mother tears the prey brought by the father with her beak and talons and swallows it. Then she regurgitates it and feeds it to the mouths of her young. In this way, the young easily swallow the moistened and somewhat softened meat, digesting it faster. A chick feeds on an entire squirrel or a few small birds per day. The Golden Eagle occasionally follows flocks of sheep. When it finds a suitable spot, it dives into the flock so quickly that it snatches the lambs left behind by the scattering sheep, who are confused about what hit them, and flies away. Stories also tell of huge Golden Eagles snatching and carrying away small shepherds who were grazing their flocks alone in the mountains.
Do eagles benefit humans?
The eagle is an animal from which we cannot directly benefit. Only its flight feathers and body feathers are used as decorative material in millinery (hat-making). In the past, these feathers were considered highly valuable; weapons were adorned with them, and fans were made. Because its meat is very tough, the Golden Eagle is never shot as game.
How far can eagles see?
Eagles and the family Accipitridae, like other birds, have very sharp eyes. Birds can spot a tiny fly even while flying at great speed, extend their beaks, and swallow it. If our eyes were as sharp as those of birds, we could easily read the headlines of a newspaper 500 meters away. Moreover, the pupils of Accipitridae are larger than those of humans. Therefore, they see their surroundings more brightly. In addition, the number of light-sensitive cells in the part of their eyes that is sensitive to light is much greater than ours. There are about 1 million light-sensitive cells in a 1 mm area.
The eagle can see without turning its head.
Eagles’ eyes, as in all birds, are placed on their heads in such a way that they can see an entire area covering a full 300-degree angle without turning their heads at all (Humans can only see within a 160-degree angle). Their eyelids are in the form of a flickering curtain that closes from bottom to top, covering slightly more than one-third of the eye.
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