2/26/2023 0 Comments Golden eagle![]() Golden eagle with transmitter captured at Clinch Mountain WMA. Its winter range in Virginia is primarily associated with the Appalachians, although some birds may also be found in the Coastal Plain and records exist for the Piedmont. A smaller, geographically isolated and potentially distinct population breeds in northeastern Canada, and is thought to migrate through the central Appalachians of New York and Pennsylvania and winter in Virginia, West Virginia and neighboring states. Within North America, the species breeds primarily in the western half of the continent, from Alaska south to Central Mexico. The golden eagle occurs throughout Europe, Asia, northern Africa and North America. ![]() Adult birds are entirely dark brown except for the rear crown, nape and sides of the neck, which are of the golden color which gives the bird its name there are also gray bars on the tail and pale areas on the wings and the rear underparts. These immature birds are dark brown, with white areas on the wings and tail. Both species undergo a sequence of molts in their first four years that allow for identification of individual birds to age class. Golden eagles may be confused with immature bald eagles due to similarities in size and coloration. As a prominent and active member of the Group, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) is engaging in golden eagle research in the mountains of Virginia. Increasing awareness of the significance of this population is one of the goals of the Eastern Golden Eagle Working Group, an international partnership founded in 2010 in order to address research gaps and gather basic information on the distribution and ecology of this magnificent raptor. ![]() This small and potentially vulnerable population has largely “flown under the radar” of both the birding public and the research community. DGIF biologist holds a second-year golden eagle captured at Clinch Mountain WMA.Īlthough segments of the golden eagle population in the western United States have been extensively studied, relatively little is known about golden eagles east of the Mississippi. ![]()
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