The Avian Conservation Center
The Center for Birds of Prey
Charleston, South Carolina
GOLDEN EAGLE
The Golden Eagle
(Aquila chrysaetos) is found throughout the northern hemisphere north of the Tropic of Cancer. With a wingspan of nearly five feet and a body mass of twelve pounds or more, the Golden Eagle is certainly one of the largest raptors in the United States. While their typical habitat is open, hilly plains and mountains, juvenile eagles are occasionally seen in coastal regions including South Carolina during their migrations. As adults, most golden eagles discontinue annual migrations and simply wander when necessary around their home ranges as weather patterns and prey availability dictate.
Golden Eagles are primarily predators of small to medium mammals such as rabbits and squirrels, but they have been known to hunt quarry as large as small deer and fox and as small as insects and voles. In fact, a group of falconers in Mongolia and Kazakhstan (www.avmv20.dsl.pipex.com) have hunted wolves and foxes with the golden eagle for centuries. With the assistance of the falconer as well as through the cooperation of several eagles ( a behavior that is rare yet well observed in the wild) the eagles are able to take quarry many times their size!
While populations of Golden Eagles are generally assumed to be healthy throughout their range, new potential dangers are identified regularly. High tension wires and wind turbines have and continue to create hazards for eagles especially as the quest for alternative energy sources increases the demand for expansive wind farms in areas utilized by the birds. While the importance of the role of wind energy in the future of the world cannot be ignored, consideration must also be given to the importance of these windswept areas to the eagles.
The Avian Conservation Center is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 corporate entity founded in 1991 to contribute to the fields of science, education, and conservation.
Wild birds are among the world's most illuminating sentinel species. Birds are numerous, conspicuous, diverse, widespread, and particularly sensitive to environmental changes. The ecological status of wild birds directly reflects the condition of the ecosystem and biodiversity as a whole. Environmental issues that impact wild bird populations often have potential human health implications as well.
Ideally situated on a 150-acre campus near Charleston, South Carolina, The Center is dedicated to the study and welfare of birds and their habitats and to engaging the public in important environmental issues that affect birds and humans alike.
Operating 365 days a year with support from more than 80 trained and dedicated volunteer staff members, the Center's medical clinic treats nearly 400 injured birds of prey each year. The Center has treated and released thousands of injured birds since its founding in 1991.
Portions of this site are under construction. Please visit often...and thank you for your patience.
