• instagram
  • instagram
Maakotka - Ähtäri Zoo

Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

The golden eagle has an acute vision

The golden eagle flies in circles high above its territory. Their eyesight is much more acute than humans’, so they can see a hare easily from a distance of 1.5 kilometers.

The reason for the golden eagle’s incredible eyesight is that they have a million visual receptors in the fovea centralis, a nervous system that transfers information seven times faster than ours, and a vastly superior ability to distinguish colors. Birds of prey can also see, for example, the UV light reflecting from urine, which reveals the routes prey animals’ roam. Birds have a comb-like structure called the pecten in their eyes, which mammalian eyes do not have.

Nesting in peace is essential

The golden eagle needs its peace and quiet in the late winter and spring. Any disturbance can scare the female eagle away from the nest, which might interrupt breeding.

Eagle mothers bring small birds and mammals for their young to eat. Research suggests that the golden eagle can lift objects that weigh up to five kilograms.

Mother eagles are monogamous, and they try to stay in their 300-square-kilometer territories all year round. They build two or three nests from twigs in their territory, and they will then use the nests depending on the situation and their needs. In the spring, golden eagles spruce up the nest they have chosen with fresh twigs from conifers.

Conservation status

LC stands for “least concern.” The species is well-known, and the population is abundant or stable. In Finland, the species is classified as “vulnerable” (VU).

Picture gallery

Hotelli Mesikämmenen varausehdot
Muiden kohteiden varausehdot