The Golden Eagle is one of the largest and most spectacular raptors in North America. This bird weighs up to 14 pounds and has a wingspan of almost seven feet. As with most hawks and eagles, the female is usually much larger than the male.The adult is dark brown with long, lanceolate feathers tipped with golden-buff on the head and nape. Young Golden Eagles (those under four years of age) look similar, but have white patches on the underside of the wings and a broad white band at the base of the tail. These areas of white gradually diminish as the bird matures.

Golden Eagles are found throughout western North America, from Alaska and northern Canada to central Mexico. They require open habitats with an abundance of mammal prey. Jackrabbits, cottontails, ground squirrels, and marmots are their principal fare in the West.

The nesting season begins in late January or February. Pair bonds are permanent until a mate dies. Almost all nests are located on cliffs, usually less than 100 feet high and within one mile of suitable hunting habitat. Golden Eagle nests are often very large: nests four to six feet in diameter and three feet high are typical. The usual clutch of eggs is two, but occasionally one, three, or no eggs are laid, particularly when habitat conditions are poor and prey availability is minimal. Eggs are cream-colored with variable brown shading. The female does most of the incubating and hatching occurs in 40 to 45 days.

Golden Eagles may be observed migrating along western ridges at any time from late August (immatures) until late November (primarily adults). They return north between late January (mostly adults) and early May (immatures). Although Golden Eagles are regularly observed at HawkWatch International research sites, they are seldom captured. Golden Eagles are highly wary of trapping stations!

Golden Eagles are valuable indicator species. Conservation of the Golden Eagles considers issues of lead contamination, habitat disturbance, and dwindling prey availability due to fragmentation and introduced vegetation overtaking western rangelands (cheat grass). Because Golden Eagles depend on an abundance of rabbits and rodents throughout the high deserts, plains, and mountain foothills of the West, all of these concerns must be addressed in rangeland management.