Throughout history, eagles have been revered and celebrated in diverse cultures and mythologies. These majestic birds symbolize strength, freedom, and power, serving as powerful emblems of courage and transcendence across the world. They have had a strong relationship over the years with humans both mentally and physically.
In 1782, the Second Continental Congress declared the bald eagle the National Emblem of the United States. As the national bird and the mascot of the USA, the bald eagle is easily the most iconic and identifiable bird around.
The bald eagle is the only eagle solely native to North America and they are a common sight in Big Sky Country and across the Treasure State. These large, predatory raptors are recognizable for their brown body and wings, white head and tail, and hooked yellow beak. Although they spend winters and migrations alone, bald eagles maintain the same breeding pair year after year. They prefer lakes and reservoirs with lots of fish and surrounding forests. During the fall and winter, the bald eagle can become surprisingly social, congregating in large groups sometimes
numbering hundreds of birds. This communal gathering often occurs in response to a superabundance of easy prey, like during annual salmon runs.
Bald eagles grow to about 2 1/2 to 3 feet in height, with impressive wingspan of around 6 1/2 feet. While in flight bald eagles are capable of seeing fish in the water and rodents on the ground from several hundred feet above. An eagle’s eye is almost as large as a human’s but its sharpness is at least four times that of a human with perfect vision.
Making their home in Montana year-round, the golden eagle is more common to spot than bald eagles, and can range in length from 33 to 38 inches, with a wingspan of 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 feet. These very large raptors have mostly brown coloring and horn- colored bills and are also known for their strong eyesight. Golden eagles nest on cliffs and in large trees, hunting in prairies and open woodlands where they can often spot their prey from long distances. They largely feed on jackrabbits, ground squirrels and carrion and will occasionally feed on deer, waterfowl, grouse and weasels. Montana has the largest known winter count of golden eagles with over 13,000, followed by Wyoming with over 10,000, Colorado with over 7,000 and Utah with almost 6,000.
The Eagle Act prohibits anyone from taking, possessing, or transporting any eagle or eagle parts (including nests, eggs, feathers, etc) without prior authorization. Under the current language of the eagle feather law, individuals of certifiable Native American ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers. Most all Native American Indian Peoples attach special significance to the Eagle and its feathers. To be given an Eagle feather is the highest honor that can be awarded within indigenous cultures.