The
Wedge-tailed Eagle or
Eaglehawk (
Aquila audax) is the largest
raptorBirds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as any bird that kills its prey with its talons. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh. In most cases,...
in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
and is the most common of all the world's large
eagleEagles are large birds of prey which are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa...
s. It has long, fairly broad wings, fully feathered legs, and an unmistakable wedge-shaped tail. Because of both its tail and its size — it is one of the largest
birds of preyBirds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as any bird that kills its prey with its talons. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh. In most cases,...
in the world — it can be identified at a glance as a "Wedgie" even by the non-expert.
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is one of twelve species of large predominantly dark-coloured eagles in the genus
AquilaAquila is the genus of true eagles. It is often united with the buteos, sea eagles and other more heavyset Accipitridae, but more recently it appears as if they are less distinct from the more slender accipitrine hawks than believed...
found worldwide; a large brown bird of prey, it has a wingspan averaging over 2.5 m (8.3 ft) and an average length of around 1.2 m (4 ft).
The
Wedge-tailed Eagle or
Eaglehawk (
Aquila audax) is the largest
raptorBirds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as any bird that kills its prey with its talons. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh. In most cases,...
in
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
and is the most common of all the world's large
eagleEagles are large birds of prey which are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa...
s. It has long, fairly broad wings, fully feathered legs, and an unmistakable wedge-shaped tail. Because of both its tail and its size — it is one of the largest
birds of preyBirds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as any bird that kills its prey with its talons. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh. In most cases,...
in the world — it can be identified at a glance as a "Wedgie" even by the non-expert.
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is one of twelve species of large predominantly dark-coloured eagles in the genus
AquilaAquila is the genus of true eagles. It is often united with the buteos, sea eagles and other more heavyset Accipitridae, but more recently it appears as if they are less distinct from the more slender accipitrine hawks than believed...
found worldwide; a large brown bird of prey, it has a wingspan averaging over 2.5 m (8.3 ft) and an average length of around 1.2 m (4 ft). Latest research indicates it forms a worldwide
superspeciesSuperspecies is a group of at least two more or less distinctive species with approximately parapatric distributions. Not all cryptic species complexes are superspecies, and vice versa, but many are. A superspecies consisting of two sister species is called a "species pair".Examples include:*...
with
Verreaux's EagleVerreaux's Eagle , also known as the African Black Eagle or Black Eagle, is a large bird of prey. This eagle is a resident breeder throughout Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, and can usually be found in mountainous regions.It is about 75 to 95 cm in length, average weight for male is 3.7kg ...
,
Gurney's EagleGurney’s Eagle, Aquila gurneyi, is a large eagle in the family Accipitridae.-Identification:This eagle is mainly dark brown to black, with paler undersides to its flight feathers and a rounded tail. Its body length is 74–86 cm; with a wingspan of between 1.7 and 1.9 m. Females are...
and the
Golden EagleThe Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
.
Description
The female Wedge-tailed Eagle is much larger than the male, averaging around 4.2 kg (9.3 lbs) and sometimes over 5.5 kg (12 lbs). Males are around 3.2–4 kg (7–8.8 lbs). Length varies between 0.9 metres (36 in) and 1.15 metres (45 in), wingspan between 1.8 metres (71 in) and 2.5 metres (99 in).
Young Eagles are a mid-brown colour with slightly lighter and reddish-brown wings and head. As they grow older, their colour becomes darker, reaching a dark blackish-brown shade after about ten years. Adult females tend to be slightly paler than males. Although it rarely needs to be distinguished from other
Aquila eagles, its long, wedge-shaped tail is unique to this species.
Breeding and habitat
Wedge-tails are found throughout
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, including
TasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, from which it is separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania – the 26th largest island in the world – and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 500,000 ,...
, and southern
New GuineaNew Guinea, located north of Australia, is the world's second largest island. It became separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known as the Torres Strait flooded after the last glacial period. The name Papua has long been associated with the island...
in almost all habitats, though they tend to be more common in lightly timbered and open country in southern and eastern Australia.
As the breeding season approaches, pair of Wedge-tailed Eagle perch close to each other and preen each other. They also perform dramatic aerobatic display flights together over their territory. Sometimes the male dives down at breakneck speed towards his partner. As he pulls out of his dive and rises just above her on outstreched wings, she either ignores him or turns over to fly upside down, stretching out her talons. The pair may then perform a loop-the-loop. The wedge-tailed eagle usually nests in the fork of a tree between one and thirty meters above the ground, but if there are no suitable sites, it will nest on a cliff edge.
Both birds build the large stick nest, or add new sticks and leaf lining to an old nest. The female usually lays two eggs, and they are incubated by both sexes. After about 45 days, the chicks hatch. At first, the male does all the hunting. When the chicks are about 30 days old, the female stops brooding them and joins her mate to hunt for food.
The young Wedge-tailed Eagles depend on their parents for food for up to six months after hatching. They leave only when the next breeding season approaches.
Behaviour and Diet
They are highly aerial, soaring for hours on end without wingbeat or effort, regularly reaching 6000 feet (1800 m) and sometimes considerably higher. The purpose of this very high flight is unknown. Their keen eyesight extends into the
infraredInfrared radiation is electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength is longer than that of visible light , but shorter than that of terahertz radiation and microwaves...
and
ultravioletUltraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than x-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
bands. This helps them spot prey and allows them to see rising thermals, which they can use to gain altitude while expending little energy.
Most prey is captured on the ground in gliding attacks or (less frequently) in the air. Choice of prey is very much a matter of convenience and opportunity: since the arrival of Europeans, the introduced rabbit and
Brown HareSeveral species of hare are commonly called Brown Hare:*The Cape Hare Several species of hare are commonly called Brown Hare:*The Cape Hare Several species of hare are commonly called Brown Hare:*The Cape Hare (Lepus capensis}*The European Hare (Lepus europaeus) may be commonly called the Brown...
have become the primary items of the eagle's diet in many areas. The Wedge-tails can eat almost anything of a suitable size, live-caught or as
carrionCarrion refers to the carcass of a dead animal. Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters, or scavengers, include Hyenas, Vultures, Canadian Opossum, Tasmanian Devils, Black Bears, Komodo Dragons, Bald Eagles, Raccoons,...
.
They display considerable adaptability, and have sometimes been known to team up to hunt animals as large as the
Red KangarooThe Red Kangaroo is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest mammal native to Australia, and the largest surviving marsupial...
; to cause
goatThe domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s to fall off steep hillsides and injure themselves; or to drive flocks of sheep or
kangarooA kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroo...
s to isolate a weaker animal. Wedge-tailed Eagles may also kill young calves.
Carrion is a major diet item also: Wedge-tails can spot the activity of
Australian RavenThe Australian Raven is the largest Australian member of the genus Corvus and one of three Australian species commonly known as ravens. It is a more slender bird than the Common Raven of the Northern Hemisphere but is otherwise similar...
s (sometimes known as crows) around a carcass from a great distance, and glide down to appropriate it. Wedge-tailed Eagles are often seen by the roadside in rural Australia, feeding on animals that have been killed in collisions with vehicles.
This impressive bird of prey spends much of the day perching in trees or on rocks or similar exposed lookout sites such as cliffs from which it has a good view of its surroundings. Now and then, it takes off from its perch to fly low over its territory. During the intense heat of the middle part of the day, it often soars high in the air, circling up on the thermal air currents that drift up from the baking ground below. Each pair occupies a home range, which may extend as little as 9 square kilometres to more than 100 square kilometres. Within this home range lies a breeding territory around the nest. The eagle patrols the boundary of this home range and advertises its ownership with high-altitude soaring and gliding flights. It may defend its territory by diving on intruders.
Conservation status
The
TasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is located south of the eastern side of the continent, from which it is separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania – the 26th largest island in the world – and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 500,000 ,...
n
subspeciesSubspecies in biological classification, is 1) a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, or 2) a taxonomic unit, a taxon in that rank...
(
Aquila audax fleayiThe Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle is an endangered bird of Tasmania. It is a subspecies of the more common Wedge-tailed Eagle.-Description:...
) is listed as endangered by the
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and culturally significant places...
(EPBC Act)
http://www.deh.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=64435 with fewer than 200 pairs left in the wild. Like the
ThylacineThe Thylacine was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times. It is commonly known as the Tasmanian Tiger , the Tasmanian Wolf, and colloquially the Tassie Tiger or simply the Tiger...
, the eagle was once subject to a bounty in Tasmania, as it was believed to prey on livestock.
In Popular Culture
On episode 4 of season 2 of
Quite InterestingQuite Interesting may refer to:*QI , a BBC comedy panel game featuring Stephen Fry and Alan Davies*Quite Interesting Limited, the company that provides the research used on QI, The Museum of Curiosity and related works...
, Jeremy Clarkson describes wedge-tailed eagles as gorging on roadkill at night, then occasionally being hit by trucks themselves, in gory detail.
The
Empire of AtlantiumThe Empire of Atlantium is a micronation and secular,pluralist progressive lobby group based in New South Wales, Australia.Micronations: The Lonely Planet Guide to Home-Made Nations describes Atlantium as "a refreshing antidote to the reactionary self-aggrandisement of so many micronations", and...
, a
micronationMicronations — sometimes also referred to as model countries and new country projects — are entities that resemble independent nations or states but which are unrecognized by world governments or major international organisations. These nations often exist only on paper, on the...
based in New South Wales, Australia, features the wedge-tailed eagle on its seal.