Our Eagle story wouldn't be complete if we didn't take a look at some of the other well-known varieties.

Golden Eagles are named for their golden brown plumage, and they tend to be slightly smaller than the Bald Eagle. They mate for life and often build their nest on a cliff ledge which is protected by an overhanging tree or rock so they have shelter.

The Golden Eagle is seen worldwide throughout the Northern Hemisphere and is fairly common in our Western states, particularly in Alaska and also western Canada. Golden Eagles have been protected in the United States since 1963, because during the 1950s an estimated 20,000 Eagles were destroyed by ranchers and farmers as they considered these eagles to be a threat to their livestock. This was particularly true of sheep ranchers,

The Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela) is an extremely rare resident of the central forest of Singapore, where it is believed that one to two pairs still survive. However, for the last few years the eagle was barely seen at all. Thus the excitement it generated when the bird was recently sighted. The eagle hunts from a high perch. It sits still until it spots a potential prey among the grass.

The Black Eagle lives near cliffs and mountains and is fairly wide spread in South Africa. When seen from below the black eagle has windows (clear patches) near the ends of its wings. Black eagles are often seen flying in pairs, the one slightly below the other.

Harpy Eagles live in the Americas, in New Guinea and they are the national bird of Panama. They also mate for life. The San Diego zoo was the first facility in North America to hatch and successfully rear Harpy Eagle. They are largest, most powerful bird in the world; they inhabit the tropical forests of Central and South America.

Stellar Sea Eagles live around the rivers in Japan and Russia and usually spend the winter in the southern Kurial islands in southern Japan. They are also considered vulnerable due to industrial pollution, over-fishing and their habitat alterations. Their current population is estimated to be 5000 but decreasing.



