Avian Beauty Podcast #5

05/31/19 • 2 min

The cry of the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is memorable - the golden eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the northern hemisphere. It's also one of the largest birds in North America - with wings that are longer than a red-tailed, hawk.

These birds are fast - with a top speed of up to 200 miles per hour and they are very nimble. They get their name from the lustrous gold feathers on the back of the head and neck. While popular in North America - they are beloved worldwide - and always have been - even in ancient times. Falconers in medieval Europe referred to golden eagles as royal eagles. In Greek and Roman mythology, the golden eagle was the messenger of the gods.

And if you listened to last week's show, you heard me talk about the bald eagle - America's national symbol. Well it turns out, the bald eagle almost didn't make the grade. The golden eagle was also considered (as was the turkey.) The bald eagle won out because it is exclusive to North America. But the golden eagle's wide range brought it other accolades. Even though it's not the American symbol, it still reigns as the most common official national animal in the world. It's the emblem of Albania, Germany, Austria, and Kazakhstan.

These powerful hunters often work in pairs while hunting: one eagle drives the prey to its waiting partner.The talons on their feet kill and carry the prey.

Next week, I'm going to talk about one of the most common birds in the United States. It's one of the most counted and seen birds and yet, it's also one of the most popular of the backyard birds. Be sure to listen to find out more.

I hope you've enjoyed this episode of Avian Beauty. Thanks for listening. Be sure to visit www.avianbeauty.com for more bird inspiration and information and please consider subscribing (for free) to our blog and podcast. I’m Scott Bourne. Happy birding.

These powerful hunters often work in pairs while hunting: one eagle drives the prey to its waiting partner.The talons on their feet kill and carry the prey.

Previous Episode

Avian Beauty Podcast #4

This episode of Avian Beauty starts with a quiz...

The term "king of birds" relates to:

A song by R.E.M. from the album Document.
Garuda, the king of the birds in Hindu mythology
The Peacock - especially in the western part of Nigeria
The bald eagle...

Actually, it was a trick question because the answer is - all of the above, but on today's show, we'll focus on the Bald Eagle - a truly American Bird and my favorite king of the birds.

One of the reasons that America's founding fathers picked the bald eagles as the symbol for America is very simply because bald eagles are only found in North America.

There are lots of different kinds of eagles - such as the African Fish-Eagle - the Banded Snake-Eagle the Congo Serpent-Eagle and the Ornate Hawk-Eagle to name a few.

But few eagles inspire the way that the bald eagle inspires. Most people know that these birds are apex predators and that they are the American symbol, but why is it that they are popular - worldwide?

Perhaps it's their majestic 7 and a half foot wingspan or their contrasting bodies with very dark, brown feathers and a white crown on their head. Maybe it's because they were nearly wiped out but fought back after pesticides like DDT wreaked havoc on eagles and other birds. Of course the bald eagle is very popular in the USA. So much so, that in the United States, when zoos feature eagles and those birds have eaglets, contests are often held to give the young birds names.

Bald eagles are truly special - and being the symbol of a great nation is quite an honor. But it almost wasn't so. In next week's show, I'll talk about one of the runners up in the contest to be our nation's symbol. It was a golden opportunity - missed.

I hope you've enjoyed this episode of Avian Beauty. Thanks for listening. Be sure to visit avianbeauty.com for more bird inspiration and information and please consider subscribing (for free) to our blog and podcast. I’m Scott Bourne. Happy birding.

Next Episode

Avian Beauty Podcast #6

Do you recognize that sound? It's very possible you've heard it emanating from your own back yard. It's the song of a northern cardinal; one of the most popular birds in the USA - despite the fact it's also one of the most common.

The cardinal is the state bird of seven different states, including Indiana - my home state.

It's also the mascot of may prominent sports teams like the St. Louis Cardinals, the Arizona Cardinals, the University of Louisville and many more.

One of the reasons that the song of a cardinal is so familiar is that it's one of the few species where both the female and the male sing. In fact, the female typically sings more often.

Another reason that the cardinal is so popular is that in courtship, the males exhibit affection by feeding beak-to-beak. Displays of affection between bird species is a rare and delightful thing to see.

There's one thing you can do to make life easier for the male cardinal. Coat your windows with anti-reflective material because during the spring, you may see males attacking the window because the bird thinks he is defending his breeding territory from intruding males.

Everyone loves a good backyard bird -- but how do you get birds to visit? Next week, I'll tell you a story about the average bird's favorite restaurant.