284 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
143. Golden Eagle. Aquila chrysaetos (Linn.). (349) 
Synonyms: Brown Eagle, Gray Eagle, Black Eagle, Ring-tailed Eagle.—Falco 
chrysaétos, Linn., 1758.—Falco canadensis, Linn., 1766.—Aquila canadensis, Wils., 
1808.—Aquila chrysaétos, Sw. & Rich., 1831.—Aquila fulva, Nutt., 1833.—Aquila chry- 
saétus var. canadensis, B. B. & R., 1875. 
Plate XXII and Figure 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 a rare bird anywhere 
it would seem to be fully as common in winter in Michigan as the Bald 
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 nee acres Nee Pal 
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 kept 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 
