How Big Are Golden Eagles? (Wingspan + Size)

Golden Eagle (Golden Eagle) throughout the Northern Hemisphere, including parts of North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. There are 6 subspecies, of which A. c. canadensis is distributed in Alaska, Canada, 48 states of the continental United States and Mexico.

These majestic eagles are common in the United States, especially in the west, where they live year-round. Golden eagles are partially migratory and can be found in a variety of open habitats, especially near mountains and canyons.

Golden eagles are huge birds of prey, about the same length and weight as the American bald eagle, but with a slightly longer wingspan. The golden eagle is a powerful creature that can weigh more than 6 kilograms, reach a length of more than 93 centimeters (3 feet), and have a wingspan of up to 220 centimeters (87 inches).

As with many raptor species, female golden eagles are on average larger than males. Size differences include weight measurements, and lengths of body, wings, tail, toes, and claws.

Golden eagles are large birds of prey

These majestic birds of prey are very similar in size to the bald eagle, the national bird of the United States. Adult bald eagles of the two species are usually easy to tell apart, but juvenile bald eagles can be confused for golden eagles when viewed from a distance. These two species of hawks tend to hunt in different habitats and specialize in different prey, so they rarely compete with each other.

Golden eagles use their large size to overwhelm and carry large prey the size of lambs. However, they target larger prey and are then forced to eat at the kill scene.

Their large size and great strength set them apart from other raptors with which they share their habitat, which benefits golden eagles by reducing competition.

In this article, we look at the true size of golden eagles and separate some fact from fiction about what these birds hunt. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the golden eagle and its impressive size.

Golden eagle perched on a branch

golden eagle wingspan

Golden eagles have large, wide wings that allow them to soar. This allows them to spot prey far below with their incredible eyesight, and then fly down to catch prey on the ground.

Golden eagles fold their wings and lean over or swoop over their prey when hunting, at speeds of up to 150+ miles per hour.

Most golden eagles have a wingspan between 185 and 220 cm (73-87 in), with female golden eagles being 10% larger than males. Each wing has ten long, finger-like primary feathers that increase its ability to generate lift.

Read on to find out how much a golden eagle weighs.

Golden eagle with large wingspan, in flight

Golden Eagle Counterweight

Golden eagles are heavy birds of prey, very similar in mass to the more common bald eagle. Adult golden eagles usually weigh between 3 and 6.125 kg (6.6 – 13.5 lb). Female golden eagles are significantly (about 40%) heavier than males.

Female gold carving weight

• Weight range: 3.6-6.7 kg (8-15 lbs)
• Average weight: 4.8 kg (10.6 lbs)

male golden eagle weight

• Weight range: 2.8-4.6 kg (6-10 lbs)
• Average weight: 3.7 kg (8.2 lbs)

How big is a golden eagle compared to a human?

The wingspan of a golden eagle is larger than that of an average human male. They are nearly 3 feet long from beak to tail tip, about the average height of a 2-year-old.

Golden eagles have evolved to combine strength with mobility. As far as birds go, they can be heavy, but nowhere near the weight of an adult.

The average golden eagle weighs about 5 percent of the average adult male’s body weight, which is similar to the weight of a human baby in its first few months of life.

Closeup of a golden eagle on the ground with prey

How big is the biggest golden eagle?

The largest recorded golden eagle was a female from Wyoming weighing about 7.2 kg (16 lb).

How big an animal can a golden eagle catch?

Golden eagles have been known to hunt very large prey. Fawns, sheep, and many other small mammals, such as rabbits and foxes, have been recorded in the diet of golden eagles.

Golden eagles may hunt very large prey, but they cannot lift all of these animals into the air. This means they often forage at hunting sites. Alaskan golden eagles have been known to carry prey weighing up to 6 to 8 pounds, which is probably the upper limit of any practical distance these birds can carry.

Golden eagle spreads its wings and flies over the forest meadow

Why is the golden eagle so big?

Golden eagles are well suited to living and hunting in the great wilderness areas of the northern hemisphere.

The enormous size of golden eagles allows them to be larger animals than other raptors that occur in the same area as them. This division of resources means that golden eagles have less competition for prey.

Aiming and effectively killing prey of this size requires strength and size. The golden eagle kills its prey with its powerful black talons, which can reach more than 6 cm (2.5 inches) in length. It takes a lot of strength and weight to drive such a large weapon through the fur of a mammal or a large bird.

Golden eagles hunt their prey from a height, from a perch or from the air. They are able to use wind and air currents to soar for long periods of time without flapping their wings.

Keeping such a heavy body in the air requires a lot of wing surface area, which explains why these birds have such large wingspans.

Close up of a female golden eagle

Golden eagle compared to other birds

The golden eagle is one of the largest birds of prey in North America and the world. They are slightly smaller than bald eagles but much larger than red-tailed hawks. However, there are heavier eagles in the world. Horned eagles of Central and South America and Steller’s sea eagles of Asia both reach incredible weights of 9 kg (20 lb).

Few American birds can rival the golden eagle. The largest bird of prey in the United States is the California condor. These huge but critically endangered bald eagles can have a wingspan of 3 meters (10 feet) or more and can weigh nearly 10 kilograms (22 pounds).

The following other American birds are similar in size to golden eagles:

• tundra swan
• Canadian goose
• sandhill crane
• wild turkey
• American White Pelican

Golden eagle feeding prey with a pair of magpies

Can golden eagles catch people?

Golden eagles have been awe-inspiring for thousands of years, and there are many legends and even present-day pranks about their ability to fly away with unsuspecting children.

In fact, a golden eagle certainly cannot lift an adult, or even a child. However, newborns under approximately 8 pounds may be carried.