Eagle

This article is about the bird. For other uses of the word "eagle", see Eagle (disambiguation).

Eagles are large birds of prey, who inhabit mainly the Old World, with only two species (Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle) commonly found in North America, a few in South America and three (White-bellied Sea Eagle, Little Eagle and Wedge-tailed Eagle) in Australia. They are members of the bird order Falconiformes, family Accipitridae and belong to several different genera, not necessarily closely related to each other.

In Britain before 1678, Eagle referred specifically to the Golden Eagle, the other native species, the White-tailed Eagle, being known as the Erne. The modern name "Golden Eagle" for Aquila chrysaetos was introduced by the naturalist John Ray.

Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs and powerful talons. They also have extremely keen eyesight to enable them to spot potential prey from a very long distance. This keen eyesight is primarily contributed by their extremely large pupils which cause minimal diffraction (spreading) of the incoming light.

Eagles are sometimes used in falconry.

Taxonomy

For many years there has been some scientific debate as to whether the Accipitriformes are a separate order, or belong to the Falconiformes.

Major new research into eagle taxonomy suggests that the important genera Aquila and Hieraaetus are not composed of nearest relatives, and it is likely that a reclassification of these genera will soon take place, with some species being moved to Lophaetus or Ictinaetus.

Bonelli's Eagle, Booted Eagle and African Hawk-eagle have been moved from Hieraaetus to Aquila.
Greater Spotted Eagle, Aquila clanga and Lesser Spotted Eagle, Aquila pomarina should be moved either to join Long-crested Eagle, Lophaetus occipitalis or, perhaps better, all three of these species should move to Ictinaetus with the Black Eagle, Ictinaetus malayensis.
Steppe and Tawny Eagles, once thought to be conspecific, are shown not even to be each other's nearest relatives.

Current species classification

ORDER ACCIPITRIFORMES
Family Accipitridae
- Subfamily Elaninae
- Subfamily Milvinae
- Subfamily Accipitrinae
- Subfamily Buteoninae
  - (buzzards)
  - Crowned Solitary Eagle, Harpyhaliaetus coronatus
  - Solitary Eagle, Harpyhaliaetus solitarius
  - Crested Eagle, Morphnus guianensis
  - Harpy Eagle, Harpia harpyja
  - Philippine Eagle, Pithecophaga jefferyi
  - New Guinea Eagle, Harpyopsis novaeguineae
  - Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Oroaetus isidori
  - Black-and-white Hawk Eagle, Spizastur melanoleucus
  - Cassin's Hawk Eagle, Spizaetus africanus
  - Changeable Hawk Eagle, Spizaetus cirrhatus
  - Mountain Hawk Eagle, Spizaetus nipalensis
  - Blyth's Hawk Eagle, Spizaetus alboniger
  - Javan Hawk Eagle, Spizaetus bartelsi
  - Sulawesi Hawk eagle, Spizaetus lanceolatus
  - Philippine Hawk Eagle, Spizaetus philippensis
  - Wallace's Hawk Eagle, Spizaetus nanus
  - Black Hawk Eagle, Spizaetus tyrannus
  - Ornate Hawk Eagle, Spizaetus ornatus
  - Long-crested Eagle, Lophaetus occipitalis
  - Black-Chested Buzzard Eagle, Geranoaetus melanoleucus
  - Crowned Hawk Eagle, Stephanoaetus coronatus
  - Martial Eagle, Polemaetus bellicosus
  - Little Eagle, Hieraaetus morphnoides
  - Ayres' Hawk-eagle, Hieraaetus ayresii
  - Rufous-bellied Hawk-eagle, Hieraaetus kienerii
  - Bonelli's Eagle, Aquila fasciatus
  - Booted Eagle, Aquila pennatus
  - African Hawk-eagle, Aquila spilogaster
  - Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
  - Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca
  - Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti
  - Steppe Eagle, Aquila nipalensis
  - Tawny Eagle, Aquila rapax
  - Greater Spotted Eagle, Aquila clanga
  - Lesser Spotted Eagle, Aquila pomarina
  - Verreaux's Eagle, Aquila verreauxii
  - Gurney's Eagle, Aquila gurneyi
  - Wahlberg's Eagle, Aquila wahlbergi
  - Wedge-tailed Eagle, Aquila audax
  - Black Eagle, Ictinaetus malayensis
  - White-tailed Eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla
  - Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
  - Steller's Sea Eagle, Haliaeetus pelagicus
  - African Fish Eagle, Haliaeetus vocifer
  - White-bellied Sea Eagle, Haliaeetus leucogaster
  - Sanford's Fish Eagle, Haliaeetus sanfordi
  - Madagascar Fish Eagle, Haliaeetus vociferoides
  - Pallas' Sea Eagle, Haliaeetus leucoryphus
  - Lesser Fish Eagle, Ichthyophaga humilis
  - Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus
- Subfamily Aegypiinae: Old World vultures
- Subfamily Circinae: harriers
- Subfamily Circaetinae: snake-eagles
  - Bateleur, Terathopius ecaudatus
  - Short-toed Eagle, Circaetus gallicus
  - Black-chested Snake-eagle, Circaetus pectoralis
  - Brown Snake-eagle, Circaetus cinereus
  - Fasciated Snake-eagle, Circaetus fasciolatus
  - Banded Snake-eagle, Circaetus cinerascens
  - Crested Serpent-eagle, Spilornis cheela
  - Nicobar Serpent-eagle, Spilornis minimus
  - Mountain Serpent-eagle,Spilornis kinabaluensis
  - Sulawesi Serpent-eagle, Spilornis rufipectus
  - Philippine Serpent-eagle, Spilornis holospilus
  - Andaman Serpent-eagle, Spilornis elgini

Eagles appear prominently in myth and literature. In the Old World, such references are commonly to the Golden Eagle (or possibly closely related species found in warm climates).

Eagles as national birds

The eagle has been used by many nations as a national symbol, depicting power, beauty and independence.

Ancient Egypt. The Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt used it as their seal
Ancient Rome. The Romans used it on the standards of their armies.

Austria. The Austrian Empire had a two-headed eagle as its symbol. After the abolition of Austria-Hungary, Austria took as its symbol a one-headed eagle in the modern coat of arms of Austria.
Byzantine Empire and Russia. After the fall of Rome, Constantinople chose a two-headed golden eagle as the Monarchy symbol. One head symbolised ancient Rome, and the other head symbolised the "new Rome" sited at Constantinople. After the fall of Constantinople, the Russian Empire took the two-headed eagle as its own symbol.
Charlemagne and Holy Roman Empire. After his crowning as the new Roman Emperor, Charlemagne adopted the ancient Roman eagle as his own symbol. The Holy Roman Empire born of his kingdom took the eagle, but the Habsburgs replaced the golden eagle by an imperial eagle.
Czech Republic. The Czech Republic integrates three historical parts: Bohemia (with a double tailed lion in the emblem), Moravia and Silesia (both with eagle females in emblems - red-and-white chequered and black).
Germany and Prussia. Prussia, and later Germany have used a black eagle as their national symbol.
Islamic. Many Islamic states and organisations use eagles as symbols, e.g. the PLO.
Poland. A white eagle on a red field is the coat of arms of Poland.
Spain. The "Catholic Kings", Isabella and Ferdinand, used the Golden Eagle as a part of the royal shield. The eagle was on the Spanish shield until 1978.
First French Empire. Napoleon Bonaparte recovered the Roman golden eagle as the symbol of his new French empire.
Seljuk Turks and Ottoman Turks used it.

Modern Europe. The eagle is also part of the coat of arms of Romania and the coat of arms and flag of Moldova. It is the emblem of "Shqipëria" or Land of the Eagles, which is known in English as Albania (see The Tale of the Eagle for the legendary origin of the name). Two-headed eagle is emblem of Serbia, Montenegro, and Serbia and Montenegro
Mexico. The bird on the Mexican coat of arms and flag is a Golden Eagle.
The Philippines. The endangered Philippine Eagle is the national bird of the Philippines.
USA. The United States has adopted the North American Bald Eagle as its national emblem. Although the Golden Eagle is found in North America, U.S. references to an unspecified "eagle" are often to the Bald Eagle; this point was not realized by an American coin die engraver, who, told to depict "an eagle", depicted a Golden Eagle; this error is the cause of the expression "illegal eagle". The name and symbol of the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America is the Bald Eagle.

Eagles as religious objects

The eagle is a sacred bird in some cultures and the feathers of the eagle are central to many religious and spiritual customs, especially amongst Native Americans. Native Americans revere eagles as sacred religious objects and the feathers and parts of Bald and Golden Eagles are often compared to the Bible and crucifix. Eagle feathers are often used in various ceremonies and are used to honor noteworthy achievements and qualities such as exceptional leadership and bravery.

Despite modern and historic Native American practices of giving eagle feathers to non-Native Americans and Native American members of other tribes who have been deemed worthy, current eagle feather law stipulates that only individuals of certifiable Native American ancestry enrolled in a federally-recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers for religious or spiritual use.

References

Splitting headaches? Recent taxonomic changes affecting the British and Western Palaearctic lists - Martin Collinson, British Birds vol 99 (June 2006), 306-323

Bruguier, Leonard.A Warrior's Eagle Feather

Stokes, DaShanne (In Press). Legalized Segregation and the Denial of Religious Freedom.

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR), Title 50: Wildlife and Fisheries PART 22—EAGLE PERMITS

External links

PBS Nature: Eagles
Eagle videos on the Internet Bird Collection
Religious Freedom with Raptors