3 March 2017
Golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are the most widely distributed eagle on earth, found in North America, Eurasia and even northern Africa.
During the nesting season they perform a climb-and-plunge “sky dance” to warn other eagles away from their territory. This video from Cornell Lab shows a spectacular sky dance filmed in the western U.S.
Golden eagles prefer to nest in wide open habitats without humans. They don’t breed in the eastern U.S., probably because it’s too densely populated. So when you see the “sky dance” in Pittsburgh you’re watching a male red-tailed hawk claim his territory.
Red-tailed hawks are closely related to golden eagles but neither one of them is related to bald eagles. Click here to find out why.
(video on YouTube from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology channel)
Back in the 80’s, Tom Petty did a song called free falling.
When I watch this video, I can hear the lyrics in my head. Heck, maybe the eagle can hear them too.
“And I’m free- – free falling.