Look for the unmistakable white cap–from which these eagles derive the name ‘bald’ rather than a lack of crown feather–on a mostly-brown body with a prominent yellow beak and legs. You might even spot a golden eagle nesting in an abandoned or little-used structure like a ranger’s watchtower.Īmerica’s national bird is a welcome sight in California, after so many of them disappeared in the late twentieth century.Įfforts to save their habitats (and avoid poisoning them) have led to a substantial increase in their numbers post-2000, particularly in the northwest part of the state where golden eagles also like to vacation. These hideouts usually overlook lowland hunting grounds that prey has to cross without cover, or watery feeding areas where they can be caught napping after a feast.
Their nests sit in mountain cliffs where outcroppings and boulders protect their stashes, and less often, at the top of tall trees. They can effectively defend their keep against other predators with dive bombing attacks from unseen vantages. The golden eagle is revered among raptors because it is the consummate hunter, capable of taking down prey both large and small, in land or in water.
These feathers are really more light brown, but made to appear gold in contrast to the brown feathers covering the rest of its body. The “golden” feathers of its namesake are found on its crown and cape. Its seven-foot wingspan is white on the underside like its tail. While infrequent, like bald eagles they are hard to miss once in proximity, as these are the two largest raptors that frequent North America.
Their numbers typically start to dwindle in the warm months and grow in the winter when it gets too cold north of Oregon. Also known as the Royal Eagle or the King of Birds,these eagles breed farther north, but they are a year-round visitor in California’s mountainous northern reaches.
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