Birds · Accipitriformes · Accipitridae

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Aquila audax

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The wedge-tailed eagle is an accipitriform bird of the family Accipitridae native to Australia. It has a great wingspan, fully feathered legs and an unmistakable wedge-shaped tail. For its size it is one of the largest birds of prey in the world.

Weight

3.1 kg – 3.8 kg

Size

81 cm – 1.1 m

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Estimated population

The IUCN publishes no global figure. In Tasmania, the subspecies A. a. fleayi numbers fewer than 1,000 birds, of which fewer than 440 are mature individuals and about 130 are breeding pairs

SavannaDesertCarnivore Diurnal In pairs Bird Savanna Desert

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Fun facts

GeneralAustralia's largest raptor, with a 2.3 m wingspan; it will take young kangaroos.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Desert, savannah and open eucalypt woodland
Size at birth: The chicks fly between 75 and 95 days and go on depending on their parents for another 3 to 6 months before dispersing
Sexual maturity: 4.5 years
Gestation / incubation: 42-45 days of incubation, averaging 43; it starts with the first egg, so the chicks do not hatch together
Litter / clutch size: 1-3 eggs, exceptionally 4; the average is two in A. a. audax and one in A. a. fleayi

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquila_audax