Birds with Attitude: Golden Eagle

The Golden Eagle is a magnificent bird of prey with a 6 foot wingspan. They mate for life, reuse the same large nest year after year and may live to 32 years.

The East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area has one of the world's largest nesting populations of Golden Eagles. Yet development continues to challenge eagle habitat, and wind farms at Altamont Pass continue to kill eagles and other raptors at an alarming rate.

Lead ammunition is also a significant factor in Golden Eagle mortality when the birds eat carcasses and prey contaminated by lead bullet fragments. AB711, a lead ammo ban in California (thank you, Governor Brown!) will take effect in 2019, providing plenty of time for hunters to switch to other forms of ammunition.

See a Golden Eagle in slow-motion flight:
http://youtu.be/aM0JMoGABgk

Did you recognize eye number two?

A Great Horned Owl's distinctive colors and patterns serve as very effective camouflage. Soft feather edges cut the air like a comb, allowing for a silent, stealthy attack. Efficient predators, even in total darkness, owls also rely upon their sensitive directional hearing. A family of seven owlets requires a daily diet of 100 small rodents.

http://www.owlpages.com/articles.php?section=owl+physiology&title=Feathers