Trivia question for Oct-05-2011

Carter picked these birds because of their ability to hunt and for the fact that he says they look cool.  Lets see how you do with this one.  These guys are able to sore effortlessly for long periods on its broad, 6.5-foot long wings.  These birds have been used in falconry since the Middle Ages. In Asia, they were used in teams to hunt such animals as deer, antelope and wolves, while their use was reserved for Emperors in Europe. They can be trained for falconry.

These guys use their agility and speed combined with extremely powerful talons to snatch up prey including rabbits, marmots, ground squirrels, and large mammals such as foxes, wild and domestic cats, mountain goats, ibex, and young deer. They will also eat carrion if prey is scarce, as well as reptiles. Birds, including large species up to the size of swans and cranes as well as ravens and Greater Black-backed Gulls have all been recorded as prey. They have even been known to attack and kill fully grown roe deer. The Eurasian subspecies is used to hunt and kill wolves in many native communities, where their status is regarded with great mystic reverence.

So here are Carter’s questions:  Tell us what these birds are and what their nests are called?  Also, tell us what part of this bird weighs more than its skeleton?

Good Luck 😉

Answer:

Congratulations goes out to Lisa from Portland OR for being the first with the correct answer.  The mighty bird we featured is the Golden Eagle.  The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas. Despite being extirpated from some its former range or uncommon, the species is still fairly ubiquitous, being present in Eurasia, North America, and parts of Africa. The highest density of nesting Golden Eagles in the world lies in southern Alameda County, California. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their heads and necks.

The nests of these fine birds are called ‘eyries‘ and may be used by generation after generation of golden eagles.  The feathers of these birds actually weighs more than their entire skeleton.

Golden Eagles maintain territories that may be as large as 60 square miles. They are monogamous and may remain together for several years or possibly for life. Golden Eagles nest in high places including cliffs, trees, or human structures such as telephone poles. They build huge nests to which they may return for several breeding years. Females lay from one to four eggs, and both parents incubate them for 40 to 45 days. Typically, one or two young survive to fledge in about three months. Here is more on these birds: Golden Eagle

Thanks for playing along 😉