Description

The Golden eagle is a large bird of prey, reaching a length of about 90 cm and a wingspan of over 2 meters. Adults are mostly brown, while immature birds have more white on their wings and tail. They feed mainly on birds and mammals, such as rabbits, foxes and even young chamois. They also like to scavenge on carrion.

Golden eagles live mostly in the mountains, while they are much rarer in the lowlands. They usually choose an inaccessible place in a rock face for their nest and stay more or less permanently in the same area.

Prevalence

The Golden eagle is one of the most widespread eagle species in the world, as it is found in most of the northern hemisphere. In Slovenia, it is a rare breeder with the majority of its population in the Alpine region. It also occurs in the pre-Alpine region, mainly in the Idrija and Cerkno Hills and on the outskirts of the Trnovski Gozd and Nanos in the Dinarides. Elsewhere in Slovenia, it is mainly found as single breeding pairs, which nest on Pohorje, in the Škofja Loka, Polhograj, Posavje and Krim hills, the Kolpa Valley, on Snežnik and the Karst Edge.

Threat

Most of the threats are directly or indirectly related to human influence. The Golden eagle is primarily threatened by habitat loss and disturbance in the area around its nesting site (tourism, climbing, etc.). In the past, eagles were heavily persecuted because people believed they stole babies and caused damage to livestock. Today, poisoning still occurs, but it is mostly unintentional, as the Golden eagle consumes poisoned carrion intended for other animals, such as wolves. The construction of wind farms in their habitat is also a danger.

Due to its longevity combined with a small population, the species is endangered in Slovenia, and the loss of each individual has a significant impact on the vitality of the population. The project will therefore focus on reducing threats such as electrocutions on improperly insulated power lines and collisions with inappropriately placed wind turbines.

Interesting fact

Golden eagles are very long-lived birds, as they can live to be over 30 years old in the wild, and well over 40 years old in captivity.