boy tossinjr the weakened bird on n 

 smaller boy's head. 



Despite the unlikelihood of a 

 <j^olden eao'le carrying olf even small 

 children, instances of these birds 

 attackino; achdt human beings are 



on I'ecord. The noted ornithologist, 

 Kobert Kidgway once reported an 

 attack by two golden eagles upon a 

 friend who had flushed the birds 

 from a nearby carcass on wliich they 

 were feeding (Ridgway 1889). 



LIFE HISTORY 



The following synopsis of the life 

 history of the golden eagle sets 

 forth only those aspects considered 

 essential for a|)]:)raising its economic 

 status. 



AGE 



The maximum age of the golden 

 eagle in the wild state is unknown, 

 although Dixon ( 1*.>:)7) jiresents 

 fairly conclusive evidence that one 

 bird lie studied lived at least 30 

 years under natural conditions. 

 Cameron (1908) records an eagle 

 that lived at least 23 years, while 

 other writers indicate an even 

 greater life span in captive birds. 



COURTSHIP AND 

 NESTING 



The time of courtship varies both 

 with altitude and latitude. In the 

 Mount McKinley, Alaska, area, 

 Sheldon (1908) stated the birds ar- 

 rived in April and inuuediately 

 started nesting activities. In moi-e 

 southerly aicas. where the bii-ds 

 may i-emain in the viciuity of the 

 nesting teri'i(oi-y tlii-oughout the 

 year, courtshij) may begin considei'- 

 ably earliei' with efi<r laying taking 

 place in Januaiy and February. 



Courtshii), including d-isj)lays of 

 aerial gymnastics, is i)articipated in 

 by both sexes and may be continued 

 thi'ou<rhout tlic uestinir season 



( Bent 1938) . During this period 

 as well as the nesting season, the 

 selected territory is defended 

 against other golden eagles. 



There may be great variation in 

 nest sites. One actiAe nest observed 

 by the writer near Hereford, Colo., 

 was constructed in a crevice on a 

 cliif above a sheer drop of some 100 

 feet. Another nest, in the vicinity 

 of Middletown, Tex., was placed 

 about 15 feet from the ground on a 

 horizontal limb of a lone cotton- 

 wood. Several nests on cliffs were 

 so located that a rock overhang gave 

 protection from the elements ; other 

 successful nests were afforded little 

 or no protection. In some localities 

 favorable to nest building, a pair 

 may construct several "dumm}^" 

 nests; in other areas, where appar- 

 ently there is oidy one satisfactory 

 nesting site, nest building may be 

 confined to it . 



During this study, no consistency 

 has been found with regard to the 

 direction of exposure of the nests. 

 Dixon ( lO;')") noted a t«Mideiicy foi' 

 the bii'ds to j)lace their nests so that 

 they could kee|) a watchful eye on 

 golden eagles in adjoining terri- 

 tories. 



Nests actually used by the golden 

 eagle may vaiy in size from struc- 

 tures some 3 feet across^ and of 

 equal or greater depth, to platforms 



