Eagle
|
|
| Eagle | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Closeup view of an Australian Wedge-tailed Eagle showing the hooked beak. | ||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| Genera | ||||||||||
|
Several, see below. |
Eagles are large birds of prey, which are found mainly in the Old World, with only two species (Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle) in North America, a few in South America and two, (White-bellied Sea 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 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 distance. This keen eyesight is primarily contributed by their extremely large pupils which cause minimal diffraction (spreading) of the incoming light.
| Contents |
Taxonomy
For many years there has been some scientistic 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, Hieraaetus fasciatus and African Hawk-eagle, Hieraaetus spilogaster, should be moved 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 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
- Crowned Hawk-eagle, Stephanoaetus coronatus
- Martial Eagle, Polemaetus bellicosus
- Bonelli's Eagle, Hieraaetus fasciatus
- Booted Eagle, Hieraaetus pennatus
- African Hawk-eagle, Hieraaetus spilogaster
- Little Eagle, Hieraaetus morphnoides
- Ayres' Hawk-eagle, Hieraaetus ayresii
- Rufous-bellied Hawk-eagle, Hieraaetus kienerii
- Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
- Imperial Eagle, Aquila heliaca
- Steppe Eagle, Aquila nipalensis
- Tawny Eagle, Aquila rapax
- Greater Spotted Eagle, Aquila clanga
- Lesser Spotted Eagle, Aquila pomarina
- Verreaux's Eagle, Aquila verreauxii
- Imperial Eagle or Adalbert's Eagle, Aquila (heliaca) adalberti
- 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.
- 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).
- Mexico. The bird on the Mexican coat of arms and flag is popularly called an eagle in English, though it is in fact a Crested Caracara, a member of the falcon family.
- 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.
External link
- PBS Nature: Eagles (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/eagles/index.html)
See also
de:Adler (Biologie) es:Águila eo:Aglo fr:Aigle (oiseau) it:Aquila chrysaetos ms:Burung helang ja:鷲 nl:Adelaar nn:Ørn pt:Águia simple:Eagle sv:Örn zh:鹰