Eagle photo

Eagles are large, powerful and strong birds of prey, with a heavy head and beak and fearsome talons. Even the smallest eagles have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings than other birds of prey. They have a more direct, faster flight – despite the reduced size of aerodynamic feathers.

Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from larger species of vultures. The smallest species of eagle is the South Nicobar Serpent Eagle (Spilornis klossi)

Eagles have very large hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong muscular legs, and powerful talons for grabbing and holding on to their prey. The eagle’s beak is generally heavier than that of most other birds of prey.

Eagles’ eyes are extremely powerful, having up to three and a half times human acuity for the martial eagle, which enables them to spot potential prey from a very long distance.

This keen eyesight is primarily attributed to their extremely large pupils which ensure minimal diffraction (scattering) of the incoming light. The female of all known species of eagle is larger than the male.