284 



MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



143. Golden Eagle. Aquila chrysaetos {Linn.). (349) 



Synonyms: Brown Eagle, Gray Eagle, Black Eagle, Ring-tailed Eagle.- — ^Falco 

 chrysaetos, Linn., 1758. — Falco canadensis, Linn., 1766. — Aquila canadensis, Wils., 

 1808. — Aquila chrysaetos, Sw. & Rich., 1831. — Aquila fulva, Nutt., 1833. — Aquila chry- 

 saetus var. canadensis, B. B. & R., 1875. 



a rare bird anywhere 

 Michigan as the Bald 



Plate XXII and Fiyure 74. 



Its size, the expanse of wings being about seven feet, prevents con- 

 fusion with any other bird except the Bald Eagle, and the two may be 

 separated in any plumage by examination of shanks or tarsi. In the 

 Golden Eagle these are feathered to the base of the toes (Fig. 74), much as 

 in the Rough-legged Hawk, while in the Bald Eagle the shanks are naked 

 for some distance up the legs. Of course the adult Bald Eagle always has 

 the pure white head and tail, which the Golden Eagle always lacks, but the 

 immature birds resemble each other sufficiently to be readily confused. 



Distribution.^ — North America, south to Mexico, and northern parts of 

 the Old World. Breeding range in the United States practically restricted 

 to the mountainous parts of unsettled regions. 



While the Golden Eagle is generally considered 

 it would seem to be fully as common in winter in 

 Eagle. Probably it would not be 

 true of all localities but neither bird is 

 abundant anywhere and the Golden 

 Eagle occurs here and there through 

 the state almost every winter. 

 Naturally it is entirely absent during 

 the warmer half of the year and 

 almost all our records for the state 

 fall within the months December, 

 January, and February. However, 

 there are some records for November 

 and March and a few for October. 



In at least three instances we have 

 known Golden Eagles to be caught 

 alive in the hands after becoming 

 entangled in bushes and vines where 

 evidently they had plunged after 

 some quarry which they had failed 

 to capture. In other cases specimens 

 have been caught in steel traps while 

 feeding on carrion during severe 

 weather. This is contrary to their usual habits, since the Golden Eagle 

 is much more particular than the Bald Eagle to have its food perfectly 

 fresh. One which we ke{)t in captivity at the College for more than a year 

 absolutely refused to eat tainted meat or any animal which had begun to 

 decompose. 



The habitual food consists of partridges, quail, water fowl, rabbits, and 

 occasionally squirrels and even smaller game. It does not seem to care 

 for fish and is no more abundant along the lake shores than in the interior, 

 except possibly that it follows the migration routes of water birds. It is 

 not known to nest within our limits, the several reported instances for 



Fig. 



Right foot of (ioldtm Eagle 

 (Original.) 



