Eagle: The soaring apex bird of prey

"Eagle" is the general name for large birds of prey — they fly high, see far and strike accurately, making them nature's top hunters. When an eagle spreads its broad wings and circles quietly high in the sky, the sight always makes people look up. Let's meet it.

Its body

Eagles have broad wings, with a wingspan usually between 1.8 and 2.3 metres. Those broad wings let them ride rising warm air for long, almost effortless soaring. Their eyesight is superb — able to lock onto small prey on the ground from high in the sky, an ability often called "eagle eyes". They have sharp talons for gripping prey and a hooked beak for tearing food.

Where it lives and how it hunts

Eagles are active by day and favour open mountains, grasslands and coasts, where the view is clear and rising air is plentiful. When hunting, an eagle soars high, marks its target with its eyes, then dives quickly, striking with outstretched talons. As a predator at the top of the food chain, it helps control the numbers of small animals and keeps the ecosystem in balance.

Where it is found

There are many species of eagle, spread across the world. Different species prefer different habitats: some live on high mountains, some on grasslands, some by the sea. They usually build nests on cliffs or in tall trees.

A note for grown-ups

You could watch an eagle soaring with a child: does it really never flap? In fact it is riding rising air to glide. Letting a child notice "the effortless way" reveals how cleverly animals hitch a ride on nature. When watching birds of prey, keep your distance and do not disturb them.