Don’t Hold Your Breath’s Bird of the Week XI
This week let’s have a look at the Wedged-tailed Eagle, Aquila audax, the largest Eagle in Australia and the third largest Eagle in the world by wind span and length. Their wing span is 210 centimeters and up to 284 centimeters and their length is 95.5 centimeters.
Adding up all the statistics, the Wedged-tailed Eagle comes in at seventh largest as they don’t weigh as much as other worlds Eagles, with a weight between 2 to 5.8 kilograms.
Wedged-tailed Eagles have that characteristic long, wedge-shaped tail and are found all over Australia, from sea level to alpine regions in the mountains, but they prefer wooded and forested land and open country, generally avoiding rainforest and coastal heaths.
I found this Wedged-tailed Eagle scouting my road looking for a snack.
Wedge-tailed Eagles may hunt singly, in pairs or in larger groups. Working together, a group of eagles can attack and kill animals as large as adult kangaroos. This explains the scientific name of the Wedge-tailed Eagle which means ‘bold eagle’. Under ideal conditions, an eagle can lift about 50% of its body weight.
They are monogamous and pair for life. Wedge-tailed Eagle nests are usually built in the tallest trees, which makes it very important to retain healthy mature forests Australia-wide. Nests are re-used and added to over many years, and can reach 2 metres in diameter and 4 metres deep and weighing about 400 kg are known.
Wedge-tailed Eagles eat mostly carrion (roadkills and other carcasses are readily eaten), however they do include live prey in their diet
A Red-necked Wallaby killed by a vehicle and feasted on by a Wedgie.
They may be the largest fiercest bird but dare to venture too close to a Magpies nest and they get a good chasing away.
References:
https://australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/wedge-tailed-eagle/
https://echidnawalkabout.com.au/5-amazing-facts-wedge-tailed-eagle/
bushboys world 
Superb shots, Brian 👏 The pic of the low flight along the road is awesome 😃
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Thank you very much Jez 🙂
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Totally agree
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Thanks Sheree 🙂
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Wow. You’ve got some great shots here.
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Thanks ever so much Margaret 🙂
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What an amazing bird! From time to time I get to watch some little bird — like a sparrow or red-winged blackbird chasing a raptor — eagle or hawk — away from its nest. And magpies? I’m not sure the raptors even try out at the refuge. The magpies have staked out a territory.
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They are quite wonderful indeed. A lot of little birds have a go. I have not seen one incident where the raptor has actually done anything other than fly higher or away.
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I think they like to move on to an easier meal.
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Yes, not much of a meal in a scrawny little bird, all feathers and bones
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I watch raptors whenever possible, and I don’t think they get to eat all that often. Maybe it’s beggars can’t be choosers.
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Wow! Really amazing pictures! Those are REALLY BIG eagles!
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Thanks Marilyn. They are quite huge to see up close 🙂
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That second photo is awesome. At first, I thought you were the snack, but then I realized it’s heading away. It’s so amazing to encounter eagles up close like that.
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Thanks Graham. To see how actually big they are is quite amazing 🙂
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So interesting to read about the wedge-tailed eagle. Awesome photos.
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Thank you very much Helen 🙂
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A truly magnificent raptor! I’m always amazed at how courageous magpies and craws tend to be when a much bigger bird of prey (I only witnessed buzzards so far) enters their territory.
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Thank you 🙂
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