Common Name
Golden Eagle

Scientific Name
Aquila chrysaetos

Habitat
The golden eagle seeks open terrain throughout mountains, foothills, and plains.

Natural History
This powerful bird of pretty is widespread in the wilder country of North America, Europe, and Asia. Approximately the size of the bald eagle, the golden is less of a scavenger and more of a predator, regularly taking prey up to the size of foxes and cranes. Also spiritually important to many Native American tribes.

Additional Information
Golden eagles are currently being removed from the park because golden eagle predation is the primary source of mortality for island foxes and is likely responsible for the massive island fox decline from 1994–2000. Until recently, golden eagles never bred on the Channel Islands. They are able to exist in the park because of the occurrence of feral pigs on Santa Cruz Island, and because bald eagles no longer are present to deter them. They were discovered in the winter of 2002–03 to also be nesting on Santa Rosa. The Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group, with the support of the Park Service and The Nature Conservancy, has been relocating golden eagles to distant sites on the California mainland. To date, 32 golden eagles have been removed from Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands, and as of February 2005 it is thought that at least 10 golden eagles remain on the islands. However, until bald eagles become reestablished and/or feral pigs are removed, other golden eagles may come from the mainland to the islands.