Leslie Massey
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is Australia's largest bird of prey, with a wingspan of up to 2.3 metres and a weight of 3.9 to 5.8 kg. It is also one of the largest eagles in the world. These powerful, carnivorous hunters are found throughout mainland Australia, Tasmania, and southern New Guinea. They can be distinguished by their long, wedge-shaped tails and blackish-brown colouring. The Wedge-tailed Eagle is a protected native species under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950, but it was historically persecuted as a pest due to its reputation for killing lambs. With keen eyesight, these eagles spot their prey from great distances and hunt both singly and in groups, taking down large animals such as adult kangaroos.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Found throughout mainland Australia, Tasmania, and southern New Guinea |
| Habitat | Sea level to alpine regions in the mountains, wooded and forested land, open country |
| Diet | Mostly carrion (roadkill and other carcasses), live prey including rabbits, hares, lizards, birds, and mammals |
| Nesting | Nests are built in prominent locations with a view, usually in the tallest tree in the territory, 2.5-4 km apart |
| Size | Length: 85-106 cm; Wingspan: 1.85-2.3 m; Weight: 3.2-5.8 kg |
| Appearance | Dark blackish-brown, pale pink to cream bill, brown to dark brown eyes, off-white feet |
| Behaviour | Monogamous, territorial, may hunt singly, in pairs, or in larger groups |
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What You'll Learn
Wedge-tailed eagles are Australia's largest bird of prey
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is Australia's largest bird of prey and one of the largest eagles in the world. It is found throughout mainland Australia, Tasmania, and southern New Guinea. The species is distributed as far south as the state of Tasmania. They can be spotted soaring above most of Australia's reserves and partnership properties.
Wedge-tailed Eagles are monogamous and mate for life. Both sexes share the job of nesting and caring for their young. Their nests can measure 2m across, 3m deep, and weigh more than 400kg. They are usually built in the tallest tree in the area, commanding an impressive view of their territory. In parts of Australia where there are no large trees, the eagles will create nests in shrubs, on telegraph poles, on cliff faces, and even on the ground.
These birds of prey are powerful, carnivorous hunters. They have a hooked bill, large talons, and keen eyesight. They can spot their next meal from up to 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) away. Their diet consists mostly of carrion (roadkill and other carcasses), but they also include live prey such as rabbits, hares, kangaroos, and wallabies. Wedge-tailed Eagles are known to be highly territorial and will defend their hunting grounds and nests against intruders.
The female wedge-tailed eagle is one of the world's largest eagles. Females are larger and heavier than males, weighing between 3.0 and 5.8 kg, while males weigh between 2 and 4 kg. The wingspan of these majestic birds can reach more than two metres, with a maximum reported wingspan of 2.84 metres.
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They have an average wingspan of 2.3 metres
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is Australia's largest bird of prey and one of the largest eagles in the world. They have an average wingspan of 2.3 metres, long wings, and a characteristic long, wedge-shaped tail. The eagle's legs are feathered all the way to the base of the toes, and its beak is pale pink to cream. Young Wedge-tailed Eagles are mid-brown with reddish-brown heads and wings, becoming progressively darker as they mature into adulthood. Adult Wedge-tailed Eagles are mostly dark blackish-brown, with females being slightly paler than males.
These impressive raptors are powerful, carnivorous hunters with keen eyesight. They can spot their next meal from up to 2 kilometres away and often prey on rodents, reptiles, and
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is a protected native species under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950. They are known to build their nests in prominent locations, usually in the tallest tree within their territory, to keep a watchful eye on their surroundings. The density of active nests depends on the availability of prey and other resources in the area.
Wedge-tailed Eagles are monogamous birds that mate for life. They are territorial and will defend their nest sites from other eagles. These eagles are remarkable hunters, capable of working together in groups to take down large prey such as adult kangaroos. With their impressive wingspan and hunting abilities, it's no wonder that the Wedge-tailed Eagle is considered the king of the Australian skies.
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Females are larger than males
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is Australia's largest bird of prey and one of the largest eagles in the world. It is found throughout mainland Australia, Tasmania, and southern New Guinea. The female wedge-tailed eagle is one of the world's largest eagles, with its nearest rival in Australia for size being around 15% smaller and 25% lighter. As is typical in birds of prey, the female is larger than the male. A full-grown female weighs between 3.0 and 5.8 kg, while the smaller males weigh 2 to 4 kg. Total length varies between 81 and 106 cm, and the wingspan typically is between 182 and 232 cm. The female wedge-tailed eagle's call is generally lower and harsher than that of the male.
The female wedge-tailed eagle's larger size is advantageous for breeding. Each egg normally weighs about 120 to 150 g, which is equivalent to about 3% of the female eagle's body weight. Larger females can lay larger eggs, and in Tasmania, where females are larger, they lay larger eggs on average. The female of the pair primarily or entirely incubates the eggs, and her larger size helps in this process.
The wedge-tailed eagle's wingspan is the largest of any Aquila, exceeded among all eagles only by the white-tailed and Steller's sea eagles. The female eagle's wing chord is larger than that of the male, with a range of 600 to 703 mm compared to 553 to 667 mm in males. In Tasmania, the female's wing chord was measured to be larger, with an average of 638 mm compared to 587 mm in males. The female eagle's larger wingspan gives her an advantage in soaring and gliding, allowing her to cover more distance with less effort.
The wedge-tailed eagle is a powerful, carnivorous hunter with keen eyesight. They prey on rodents, reptiles, and rabbits, and a female eagle, due to her larger size and strength, may have an advantage in hunting and capturing larger prey. The female eagle's larger talons may also provide a better grip and help in capturing prey. The female eagle's slightly paler plumage may also provide better camouflage when hunting, allowing her to blend into the environment more effectively.
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They prey on lizards, snakes, rabbits and birds
The wedge-tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in Australia. It is also found in southern New Guinea and Tasmania. With a maximum wingspan of 2.84 m (9 ft 4 in) and a length of up to 1.06 m (3 ft 6 in), it is one of the world's most powerful avian predators. Due to its formidable nature, it is sometimes nicknamed the "King of Birds".
Wedge-tailed eagles prey on lizards, snakes, rabbits, and birds. They are dietary generalists, capturing a wide range of prey species. With over 100 prey species in their spectrum, birds are the most diverse class of prey for these eagles. Among the birds they prey on are little eagles, collared sparrowhawks, grey goshawks, brown goshawks, Pacific bazas, black-breasted buzzards, peregrine falcons, Australian hobbies, black falcons, brown falcons, and Nankeen kestrels. Occasionally, they also prey on owls, including barn owls, southern boobooks, and powerful owls.
When it comes to lizards, wedge-tailed eagles have been observed to prey on bearded dragons, with an estimated body mass ranging from 80 to 320 g (2.8 to 11.3 oz). They also prey on larger lizards, such as monitor lizards, which can weigh up to 6.3 kg (14 lb) in the case of adult lace monitors. Smaller lizards, such as the pygmy spiny-tailed skink and the thorny devil, may also be taken.
Rabbits, particularly the introduced European rabbit, are a significant part of the wedge-tailed eagle's diet. They have been known to take rabbits in great numbers, and rabbits can constitute a large majority of their diet in some regions. The mean weight of wild rabbits in Australia is estimated to be around 1.4 kg (3.1 lb), although other studies suggest a slightly higher average weight.
Wedge-tailed eagles also include snakes in their diet, with a preference for venomous species. Some of the snakes they prey on include tiger snakes, eastern brown snakes, ringed brown snakes, bandy-bandys, yellow-faced whipsnakes, red-bellied black snakes, and brown tree snakes.
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They are found throughout mainland Australia and Tasmania
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is found throughout mainland Australia, Tasmania, and southern New Guinea. It is Australia's largest living bird of prey and one of the largest eagles in the world. The eagle's wingspan can reach up to 2.3 metres, and it has a characteristic long, wedge-shaped tail. They are powerful, carnivorous hunters with keen eyesight, capable of spotting prey from up to 2 kilometres away.
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is a native Australian species protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950. They are found from sea level to alpine regions in the mountains, but they prefer wooded and lightly forested land and open country, typically avoiding rainforests and coastal heaths. They build their nests in prominent locations, usually in the tallest trees in their territory, to keep a watchful eye on their surroundings.
In Tasmania, the Wedge-tailed Eagle subspecies (Aquila audax fleayi) differs from its mainland counterpart in size and colouring. It is larger, with particularly bigger talons, and has a deep chocolate brown colour with whitish-buff colouring at the nape. The juvenile eagles in Tasmania are also paler and sandier in colour compared to their counterparts on the mainland.
Wedge-tailed Eagles are monogamous birds that mate for life. They are territorial and defend their nest sites from other eagles. These birds are versatile hunters, capable of hunting alone, in pairs, or in groups. They primarily feed on carrion and rabbits, which can make up to 92% of their diet. However, they will also prey on lizards, birds, and mammals, including lambs, when the opportunity arises.
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Frequently asked questions
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is Australia's largest bird of prey and one of the largest eagles in the world. It has a wingspan of 2.3 metres, a characteristic long, wedge-shaped tail, and legs that are feathered all the way to the base of the toes. Females are larger and heavier than males, with a weight range of 4.2 to 5.3 kg compared to 3.2 to 4.0 kg for males.
The Tasmanian subspecies, Aquila audax fleayi, is larger than the mainland eagle and has particularly bigger talons.
The nests of Wedge-tailed Eagles are made of a massive platform of sticks, lined with sprays of green eucalypt leaves, and placed in or on a horizontal fork of a tree up to 40 metres above the ground.
Wedge-tailed Eagles have been recorded soaring as high as 6,800 metres. They can also be seen perched on trees or poles or soaring at altitudes of up to 2,000 metres.
