The Golden Eagle is a member of a worldwide group, the true eagles, but is the only member found in North America (Elphick et al. 2001).
This bird is much more common in the west than the east (Kaufman 2000), but has bred in Tennessee (Tennessee Ornithological Society 2006). The Golden Eagle is rarer in North Carolina (Potter et al. 1980 and Pearson et al. 1942), than Tennessee and there is controversy as to whether this species has ever bred in North Carolina.
This bird will lay two eggs in a clutch, but the smaller sibling is typically eaten by the larger sibling (Elphick et al. 2001).

Length: 30 in. (76 cm), wingspan 80 in. (203 cm) (Kaufman 2000).

Physical characteristics: Brown over the entire body, with golden feathers on the nape and pale bands on the tail. The female is larger than the male. Immature birds have a large white patch in the center of the wings and tail.

Voice: This bird is typically silent, but may produce "yelping whistles" (Kaufman 2000).

This bird is listed as threatened in Tennessee, with a rank of S1. This means that it is extremely rare and critically imperiled in the state, with five or very few remaining (Withers et al. 2004). The State of North Carolina does not provide this species with protection as it has not been found to have "consistent nesting or wintering locations."

Breeding habitat:
Breeds in open habitats or mountains and hills (Ehrlich et al. 1988).

Mating system:
Monogamous. Courtship displays consist of an upward spiral, followed by a dive with open wings, then flowing up and diving again while calling (Ehrlich et al. 1988).

Nest:
The nest is built by the male and female on the side of a cliff or in a tall tree, 10?-100? above ground. The nest is made of intertwined sticks, as well as brush and leaves, lined with fine materials (Ehrlich et al. 1988). The eggs are white or a creamy buff and a marked with brown, although, sometimes one egg is unmarked, 2.9 in. (75 mm). Typically, there are two eggs in a clutch and a pair will brood once a year (Ehrlich et al. 1988).

Chick development:
The female incubates the eggs for 43-45 days, with some help from the male. The young are born partially altricial, already having down and the eyes are open. Both parents share responsibilities in tending to the young, which fledge in 66-75 days (Ehrlich et al. 1988).

Diet:
Feeds on small mammals, primarily jackrabbits. When mammals are scarce it will feed on reptiles, birds, or even insects. It hunts by flying high above while scanning for prey. It uses its large talons to capture its prey from the ground (Ehrlich et al. 1988).

Breeding Distribution: Across Alaska and northwest portions of Canada (Kaufman 2000). In the old world it breeds across the northern hemisphere in parts of Europe and Asia (Fwo 2005).

Winter Distribution: in the highlands of northern Mexico (Ehrlich et al. 1988) and parts of the western United States (Sauer 1997).

In the Park: This is a rare migrant and winter resident. It has been noted in Cades Cove (Alsop 2003), Purchase Knob, and along the Appalachian Trail. In Stupka's (1963) notes, there are 12 sightings from 1924-1961 in high and low elevations.

References:

Alsop, F. J. 1991. Birds of the Smokies. Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association. Gatlinburg, TN.

Ehrlich, P. R., D. S. Dobkin, and D. Wheye. 1988. The Birder?s Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds. Simon and Schuster, Inc. New York.

Elphick, C., J. B. Dunning, Jr., and D.A. Sibley, eds. 2001. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Fwo, Wan Ho. 2005. San Francisco State University. Available at The Biology of the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). Access on June 17, 2006.

Gough, G. A., Sauer, J. R., Iliff, M. Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter. 1998. Version 97.1. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD. http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/infocenter.html.

Kaufman, K. 2000. Birds of North America. Hillstar Editions L. C. New York.

LeGrand, H. E. and Hall, S. P., compilers. 1999. Natural Heritage Program List of the Rare Animals of North Carolina. North Carolina Natural Heritage Program, Division of Parks and Recreation, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Reso

Stupka, A. 1963. Notes on the Birds of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, TN.

Potter, E. F., J. F. Parnell, and R. P. Teulings. 1980. Birds of the Carolinas. The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill.

Tennessee Ornithological Society. 2006. Available at The Official Checklist of the Birds of Tennessee. Accessed on May 26, 2006.