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With a wingspan reaching more than two metres, the Wedge-tailed Eagle is Australia’s largest bird of prey and one of the biggest eagles in the world.
Once on the wing, they soar with ease, circling at great heights to altitudes of 2,000m! From below you can see its flight feathers stretched like fingers and the wedge-shaped tail that gives the species its common name.
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is one of 24 diurnal (day-active) raptor species in Australia. Like other birds of prey, it has a hooked bill and large talons. Females are larger than males and can weigh up to 5.3kg, measure 1m from head to tail-tip and have a wingspan of up to 2.3m.
Young birds have brown feathers that become progressively darker as the bird ages; mature adults are dark brown to black with white and bronze feathers on their necks and wings. The bird’s long powerful legs are feathered to the base of the toe.
Wedge-tailed Eagles feature in many dreaming stories for Aboriginal Australians: for example, the eagle Bunjil is an important creator being for the Kulin people of central Victoria. For the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains, the eagle’s claw takes the form of a constellation known as Wilto (the Southern Cross). The name Aquila audax, means bold eagle in Latin.
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Wedge-tailed eagle nest. By Wayne Lawler/ Ecopix.
Where Wedge-tailed Eagles live
The Wedge-tailed Eagle has an extremely large range: it’s found throughout mainland Australia, Tasmania and southern Papua New Guinea. It prefers wooded areas and open forests, but can be found in coastal and alpine regions. It’s seldom seen in rainforests or coastal heaths.
The species is considered the most common of the world's large eagles. While it’s listed as of Least Concern on the the IUCN Red List of threatened species, it’s fully protected in all Australian states and territories. The Tasmanian subspecies (Aquila audax fleayi) is listed as Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Wedge-tailed Eagle behaviour
Wedge-tailed Eagles are monogamous: they mate for life. Breeding pairs are territorial, and will defend their hunting ground and their large, impressive nests. Both sexes share in the job of nesting and caring for young.
Built of sticks and lined with leaves, their nests can measure 2m across, 3m deep and weigh more than 400kg!
The nests are so large that smaller birds, like finches, can nest in the underside, benefiting from the protection from predators offered by the eagles!
Nests are usually built in the tallest tree in the vicinity, commanding an impressive view of their territory. In parts of Australia where there are no large trees available, the eagles will create nests in shrubs, on telegraph poles, on cliff faces and even on the ground. A pair may have up to 10 different nests within their territory, and will often use a different nest in different years.
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Wedge-tailed Eagle. Photo Alec Brennan.
Eggs are laid in response to local food availability. After 45 days of incubation, the chicks emerge, covered in white down. While two to three eggs may be laid, the parents typically rear only one young per clutch. When food is scarce, the larger chick may kill and eat its smaller sibling.
The bulk of the Wedge-tailed Eagles’ diet is made up of carrion (road kill and other carcasses). Several birds may attend a single carcass, taking turns to eat1. Live prey is also taken – predominantly rabbits, hares, kangaroos and wallabies – but they may also consume large birds (e.g. waterfowl) and lizards.
They will hunt live prey and can work in pairs or groups, especially when hunting large prey like adult kangaroos. One bird can lift 50% of its body weight!
Threats to Wedge-tailed Eagles
In the early to mid 1900s, farmers believed that Wedge-tailed Eagles killed sheep and lambs. A bounty was paid for their destruction, leading to the death of tens of thousands of eagles. It’s now understood that eagles only attack sick or dead lambs, and have little real effect on the sheep industry.
Now, the main threats to Wedge-tailed Eagles are tree-clearing and the loss of nesting sites; secondary poisoning (eating rabbits laced with poison, for instance); collision with overhead wires, fences, and with vehicles while eating road kill.
The Tasmanian subspecies is endangered due to the disturbance and loss of nesting sites: at least 40% of forests and dry woodlands have been cleared in Tasmania since settlement.
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Wedge-tailed Eagle in flight. Photo Sandy Horne.
What's Bush Heritage doing?
Wedge-tailed Eagles are often seen soaring majestically above virtually all of our reserves and partnership properties. Most reserves also contain suitable nesting habitat and a visit to a "wedgie nest” is always a highlight.
Importantly, most of our Tasmanian reserves (e.g. Liffey Valley Reserves: Coalmine Creek, Drys Bluff, Liffey River, Oura Oura) provide habitat for the endangered Tasmanian subspecies of the Wedge-tailed Eagle.
We're looking after the species by protecting their habitat, ensuring these impressive eagles have ample nesting sites… and plenty of space to spread their wings!
Donate today to help us continue this and other vital conservation work.
A Wedge-tailed Eagle Gift Card is a virtual gift that supports our work protecting habitat for native species.
See our bushgifts card range for more.
References
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Wedge-tailed Eagle. Photo Steve Parish.
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