Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle (Aquila crysaetos, Linnaeus 1758) is a bird which belongs to the family Accipitridae. Being the most common species, it is consider the raptor par excellence and it is often simply called eagle.
In Italy it can be found on the Appennine’s dorsal and the Alps. In the province of Salerno it is usually seen in the Cilento’s mountains. This species is disappearing in some area because of man’s persecution, while in the protected areas is raising in number. The Golden Eagle is a protected species according to the law 157/92.
The Golden Eagle is a large raptor, with prominent head, large and long tail. The colour is dark brown with red-golden reflections on the back and the head (from here comes the name “golden” eagle). It can be recognized for the dimension of the wingspan which can reach 2 meters in the females. The Golden Eagle’s length goes from 74 up to 87cm, while the tail can reach 26-33 cm. The females are usually bigger in size than the males. It has an extremely sharp sight, 6 times human’s, with a visual range of 300°. The eagle is a powerful and long-lived species. In fact it can live 15-20 years if free, and even more (50 years) in captivity.
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Notes
BirdLife International 2004. Aquila chrysaetos. In IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Versione 2010