25 Majestic Eagle Facts

By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer

Published January 7, 2025

The martial eagle has the best eyesight of all eagles. It can see prey up to 3.7 miles (6 km) away. It hunts monitor lizards, hares, young warthogs, dassies, primates, and impala._[4]
Eagles live in the wild for about 20–30 years. The oldest known eagle in the wild lived to 38 years. An eagle in captivity can reach up to 50–70 years old._[2]
January 10th is Save the Eagles Day._[9]
An eagle's nest is called an eyrie._[2]
Eagles can fly up to 15,000 feet high at a speed of 65 mph._[2]

The South Nicobar serpent eagle is about the size of a crow

The smallest eagle in the world is the South Nicobar serpent eagle. About the size of a crow, it weighs around one pound and grows up to 17 inches._[8]
There are over 50 species of eagles around the world._[2]
Instead of pushing their eaglets out of the nest, parent eagles stop feeding them to encourage them to leave the nest._[2]
The Philippine eagle has a 79-inch (201-centimeter) wingspan and weighs 14 pounds, making it one of the largest eagles in the world._[11]
Eagle nests can weigh up to 6,000 pounds (2,722 kg)._[11]
There are 60 types of eagles, which are broken into four groups: 1) sea eagles, 2) snake eagles, 3) booted eagles, and 4) harpy eagles._[11]
Bald eagles have nearly 7,000 feathers on their body._[10]
The most common national symbol in the world is the golden eagle. It is the national bird of Afghanistan, Mexico, Egypt, Germany, and Scotland._[1]

The golden eagle is one of the largest and most powerful eagles in the world

Eagles live on every continent except Antarctica._[11]
Many eagles, such as bald eagles, mate for life._[10]
Baby eagles are called eaglets. They will stay with their mother until they are about one year old._[10]
Most bald eagle calls in movies are not bald eagles; they are the call of a red-tailed hawk._[7]
The harpy eagle is the national bird of Panama._[6]

A harpy eagle's talons are about the same size as a grizzly bear's claws

A harpy eagle's rear talon is about 4 to 5 inches, which is about the same length as a grizzly bear's claw._[2]
The harpy eagle was named after the harpies of Greek mythology. Harpies were predatory women with the bodies of birds._[6]
The harpy eagle was the inspiration behind the design for "Fawkes" the phoenix in the Harry Potter film series._[2]
Nearly every Native American tribe values the eagle and its feathers. Often, an eagle feather is the highest honor that a person can receive._[1]
National Bald Eagle Day in the United States is June 20._[2]
The Bible mentions eagles over 30 times. They are mentioned in both the New and Old Testaments as symbols of God's power._[3]
The Great Eagles in Lord of the Rings were sapient and could speak. The greatest of all the eagles was Thorondor, with a wingspan of "30 fathoms."_[5]