Did you know that there are over sixty species of the eagle? They are a part of the family Accipitrid, which includes a large number of diurnal birds of prey. The majority of eagle species are found in Eurasia and Africa. Only 14 species can be found outside of this region: two in North America, nine in Central and South America, and three in Australia.

What makes eagles so fascinating is how powerful they truly are. They are one of the strongest and most fierce hunters in the entire animal kingdom. They have even been known to consume large prey such as monkeys and sloths. Compared to humans, they have a vision four to eight times greater. Even though most eagles only weigh around 10 pounds, their eyes are actually the same size as a human’s

Eagles have an average lifespan of 14 to 35 years in the wild, depending on the species. They have a particularly long lifespan when compared to the lifespans of other birds. This is thanks to them being apex predators.

A few notable species:

• Bald Eagle: The bald eagle has an average lifespan of 15- 30 years in the wild. According to The Journal of Wildlife Management, bald eagles 3-5 years old experience the highest mortality rates. However, there have been accounts of the oldest living bald eagle making it 38 years old.
• Harpy Eagle: The harpy eagle’s lifespan is estimated to be 25-35 years in the wild. There are less than 200 harpy eagles in captivity. This is why estimating their lifespan in captivity has been difficult.
• Golden Eagle: The golden eagle’s lifespan is up to 30 years in the wild and 68 years in captivity.
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Although eagles live longer than most other birds, the bald eagle was at risk of extinction nearly 40 years ago due to pesticides and hunters. However, thanks to government protections, bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list back in 2007.