How Big Is the Golden Eagle – Size, Weight, and Wingspan Explored

The Golden Eagle, a symbol of majesty and power, reigns across the Northern Hemisphere. Golden eagles are categorised as subspecies. For instance, there are two types of golden eagle species classified as large Himalayan golden eagles and smaller Japanese golden eagles.

How Big Is the Golden Eagle

When asking “How big is the Golden Eagle?” It’s important to note that the male golden eagles can be 2 feet tall, weighing 13.5 pounds on average. It has a broad wingspan of about 7 feet 8 inches. Surprisingly, female golden eagles are always more significant in size than male eagles.

The large Himalayan female eagles are about 37% heavier and 9% broader than males. On the other hand, the smaller Japanese female eagles are 26% heavier and 6% broader than males. A common observation shows that Eurasian golden eagles are typically larger than American golden eagles.

Following are some standard measurements of Golden Eagles:

  • Wing Chord: 52 – 72 cm (20 – 28 in).
  • Tail Length: 26.5 – 38 cm (10.4 – 15.0 in).
  • Tarsus Length: 904 – 12.2 cm (3.7 – 4.8 in).
  • Culmen ( the part of the beak): 3.6 – 5 cm (1.4 – 2.0 in).
  • Bill Length (from gape): 6 cm (2.4 in).
  • Hallux Claw: 4.5 – 6.34 cm (1.77 – 2.50 in).

Difference Between Male And Female Golden Eagle:

Most eagle species have a unique feature known as “reverse sexual dimorphism”, which means that the females are larger and heavier than male eagles. An Average female can be 26% heavier and have a 6% broader wingspan than a male. They also have deeper beaks than males. However, both sexes share the same colours, which is the only common thing between them. Female

Golden Eagle Size Compared To Human

In terms of wingspan, golden eagles are bigger in size than humans. An average wingspan of a golden eagle can be 7 feet. Golden eagles specifically bred for falconry can even have a broad wingspan of about 9 feet. On the other hand, in terms of height, they are usually 2 feet tall. Hence, they are not taller but broader.

How Big Do Golden Eagles Get?

An average golden eagle can be 2-3 feet tall, weighing about 13.5-14 pounds, with a broad wingspan of around 7-8 feet. Remember, female eagles are always bigger; even female chicks are bigger than male ones.

How Big Is A Golden Eagle’s Wingspan?

The majestic golden eagles are blessed by a broad wingspan that ranges from 5ft 11 inches to 7ft 8 inches (1.8 m to 2.34 m), making them the fifth largest among all living eagle species in terms of their wingspan. The broad wings help them to fly far distances. They can cover about 125 miles within a single day and don’t even need to land during this flight.

Golden Eagle Talon Size – Golden Eagle Claw Size

Golden eagles generally have 1.77 to 2.50 in (4.5 to 6.34 cm) long black talons. They have a strong grip strength of about 750 psi which is powerful enough to squash a human brain just like a grape, squashed with the help of your thumb and the pointing finger. With their sharp talons and swift dive of more than 150 mph, golden eagles snatch up rabbits. reptiles, fish, ground squirrels and marmots etc.

Are Golden Eagles Bigger Than Bald Eagles?

It’s hard to decide which one is bigger than the other because both of them have a lot in common. For instance, both species are almost the same size from head to toe with about an inch or a half inch difference, a maximum of 2 to 3 feet (males). With a weight of about 13 to 13.5 pounds, they have a wingspan of about 6.5 to 7 feet.
But we have to choose one of them, so let’s check for even minor differences. The bald Eagle is just an inch (3 feet) bigger than the golden eagle. On the other hand, the golden eagle wins by two edges in terms of its wingspan and its weight which is just half-inch broader (7 feet) and .5 pound heavier (13.5 pounds), respectively.

How Heavy Is A Golden Eagle – Golden Eagle Weight?

Golden Eagles are well known for being the second heaviest breeding species in North America, Europe, and Africa and the fourth heaviest in Asia. Regardless of their sex, the average height of a golden eagle is about 33.1 inches, weighing 13.5 pounds.
They can even grow bigger in captivity. For instance, a report says that a female eagle bred explicitly for size and weight grew into a huge bird weighing 27 pounds with a wingspan of 9.25 feet. But this eagle was specifically bred for falconry; therefore, it was a pretty unnatural weight which we usually do not mention while talking about the golden eagle’s weight, increased in all wild and natural conditions.

Heaviest Golden Eagle:

A majestic golden eagle weighing 7.7 kg was the only female golden eagle released in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest after banding it in 2006. Surprisingly, this bird grew naturally in the wild and became the heaviest in the history of golden eagles.

Golden Eagle Chick Size:

Their chicks are 3 times the size of a baby chicken, however, it is two times the size of a baby duck. Chicks weigh only 105 to 115 g. Female chicks are bigger in size than male chicks.

Golden Eagle Chick Weight:

The chicks weigh only 3.7 to 4.1 oz (105-115g). They are relatively much smaller in size and lightweight than adult eagles. Till the eaglets are 9 to 10 weeks old, their weight rapidly adds about a half pound to one pound of body weight every week. Female chicks are bigger in size than male chicks.

What Is The Biggest Eagle:

The martial Eagle is one of the most powerful and the largest birds in the world, with a broad wingspan of 8.5-9 feet, weighing about 14-16 pounds (average). It lives in sub-Saharan Africa. The diet of martial eagles mainly includes birds like; guinea fowl, poultry, and buzzards; however, it also dines on mammals like; antelopes and hyrax.
The martial eagle is stronger than the golden eagle. It has a slightly longer tarsus than a golden eagle. Tarsus is the part of an eagle’s leg that is just above the foot.

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