General Description: Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are enormous birds of prey with long wings (7-foot wingspan) and a large, hooked bill. Eagles fly with the wings held very flat, which can help to identify them at long range. Adults are dark above and below with slight banding at the base of the tail and a golden wash on the head. Young birds are dark overall with some white in the wings at the base of the primaries and white at the base of the tail.

Taxonomy: Accipitriformes, Accipitridae.

Favored Habitat: Mountains and cliffs.

Where to Find: Look for these uncommon birds in the mountains around Las Vegas, including the Spring Mountains (Mt Charleston), the Desert National Wildlife Range, and the mountains around Lake Mead.

Comments: Around Las Vegas, these majestic predators mostly feed on Black-tailed Jackrabbits and various species of ground squirrels, but they can take young bighorn lambs and similar sized prey.