Golden Eagle Habitat

Research into the habitat selection of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) has shown that the species typically selects for similar habitats in various areas of the world. A. chrysaetos like to nest on the edges of open habitats in order to be able to detect and hunt prey (Hipkiss and Dettki 2014). Because golden eagles require updrafts and winds in order to soar, they require those as well in order to hunt (Domenech and Bedrosian 2015). So, selection of areas with these characteristics is important to golden eagles as well. Domenech et al. (2016) describes how A. chrysaetos prefer habitats with coniferous forests in the western United States. They also select habitats made of pinyon-juniper trees or grassland habitats with shrubs. They avoid areas with non-sagebrush shrubs, though, because their prey prefer sagebrush. Golden eagles prey on hares. As the fall and winter approach, grass in the grasslands starts to die, so hares use the sagebrush as cover instead. Another type of habitat A. chrysaetos avoids is human habitat. They avoid urban areas, agriculture fields, and cattle grazing pastures. One awesome feature of a golden eagle’s habitat selection is that they are extremely loyal to their

(2006) explains the territoriality of golden eagles. Golden eagles typically are solitary and territorial birds of prey. They protect their area to protect their prey. However, in rugged terrains, they tend to be an over-selection of nesting sites. It is believed that the ruggedness creates extra three-dimensional space for every piece of two-dimensional area. Golden eagles also have to face the threat of their preferred shrub vegetation turning into woodland as young forests grow and develop. The shrub stage of early forests creates an increase in prey, because their main prey uses shrubs as habitat. However, it has the possibility of creating an ecological trap for eagles that return there to nest and the shrub is turning into forest a little more every