Eagle
Bald Eagle
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Falconiformes ( or Accipitriformes, q.v.)
Family:	Accipitridae
Genera
Several, see text

Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 61 species occur in Eurasia and Africa.^[1] Outside this area, just two species (the Bald and Golden Eagles) can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in Central and South America, and three in Australia.

Description[link]

Eagles are large, powerfully built birds of prey, with a heavy head and beak. Even the smallest eagles, like the Booted Eagle (which is comparable in size to a Common Buzzard or Red-tailed Hawk), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight. (Despite reduced size in aerodynamic feathers) Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from some vultures. Species named as eagles range in size from the South Nicobar Serpent Eagle, at 450 g (1 lb) and 40 cm (16 in), to the 6.7 kg (14.7 lbs) Steller's Sea Eagle and the 100 cm (39 in) Philippine Eagle. Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong muscular legs, and powerful talons. The beak is typically heavier than most other birds of prey. They also have extremely keen eyesight (up to 3.6 times human acuity for the martial eagle) which enables them to spot potential prey from a very long distance.^[2] This keen eyesight is primarily contributed by their extremely large pupils which ensure minimal diffraction (scattering) of the incoming light. The female of all species of eagle known are larger than the male.^[3][4]

Eagles normally build their nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs. Many species lay two eggs, but the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched. The dominant chick tends to be the female, as they are bigger than the male. The parents take no action to stop the killing.^[5][6]

Among the eagles are some of the largest birds of prey: only the condors and some of the Old World vultures are larger. Four species — Steller's Sea Eagle of eastern Asia, Harpy Eagle of South and Central America, Philippine Eagle and the Wedge-tailed Eagle of Australia — can reach a metre in length. All four can have a wingspan exceeding two metres, as can the Martial Eagle of Africa, most species in the genus Haliaeetus and several in the genus Aquila.^[7] However the measurements for all four species differ. The wingspan of both the harpy eagle and philippine eagle rarely exceed two metres as it increases manoeuvrability through the forest which they inhabit and the wedge tailed eagle is relatively lightweight, with an average mass of 3466 g (7.63 lb). The Harpy Eagle and Wedge-tailed Eagle are also shorter, measuring 89–100 cm and 80–104 cm respectively.^{[citation needed]} Steller's Sea Eagle usually ranges between 85–94 cm (33–37 in).^{[citation needed]}

Species[link]

Thermographic image of an eagle, thermoregulating using its wings

Philippine Eagle, Pithecophaga jefferyi in Southern Philippines

Wedge Tailed Eagle in Australia

Major new research into eagle taxonomy suggests that the important genera Aquila and Hieraaetus are not composed of nearest relatives, and it is likely that a reclassification of these genera will soon take place, with some species being moved to Lophaetus or Ictinaetus.^[8]

• Bonelli's Eagle, and the Booted Eagle have been moved from Hieraaetus to Aquila.
• Either the Greater Spotted Eagle and Lesser Spotted Eagle should move from Aquila to join the Long-crested Eagle in Lophaetus, or, perhaps better, all three of these species should move to Ictinaetus with the Black Eagle.
• The Steppe Eagle and Tawny Eagle, once thought to be conspecific, are not even each other's nearest relatives.

FAMILY ACCIPITRIDAE

• Subfamily Buteoninae – hawks (buzzards), true eagles and seaeagles
  • Genus Geranoaetus
    • Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Geranoaetus melanoleucus
  • Genus Harpyhaliaetus
    • Crowned Solitary Eagle, Harpyhaliaetus coronatus
    • Montane Solitary Eagle, H. solitarius
  • Genus Morphnus
    • Crested Eagle, Morphnus guianensis
  • Genus Harpia
    • Harpy Eagle, Harpia harpyja
  • Genus Pithecophaga
    • Philippine Eagle, Pithecophaga jefferyi
  • Genus Harpyopsis
    • Papuan Eagle, Harpyopsis novaeguineae
  • Genus Oroaetus
    • Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Oroaetus isidori
  • Genus Spizaetus
    • Cassin's Hawk-Eagle, Spizaetus africanus
    • Crested Hawk-Eagle, S. cirrhatus
    • Mountain Hawk-Eagle, S. nipalensis
    • Blyth's Hawk-Eagle, S. alboniger
    • Javan Hawk-Eagle, S. bartelsi
    • Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle, S. lanceolatus
    • Philippine Hawk-Eagle, S. philippensis
    • Wallace's Hawk-Eagle, S. nanus
    • Black Hawk-Eagle, S. tyrannus
    • Ornate Hawk-Eagle, S. ornatus
    • Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, S. melanoleucus
  • Genus Lophaetus
    • Long-crested Eagle, Lophaetus occipitalis – possibly belongs in Ictinaetus
  • Genus Stephanoaetus
    • Crowned Eagle, Stephanoaetus coronatus
  • Genus Polemaetus
    • Martial Eagle, Polemaetus bellicosus
  • Genus Hieraaetus
    • Ayres' Hawk-eagle, Hieraaetus ayresii
    • African Hawk-Eagle, H. spilogaster
    • Little Eagle, H. morphnoides
      • Pygmy Eagle, H. m. weiskei
  • Genus Harpagornis (extinct)
    • Haast's Eagle, †Harpagornis moorei – possibly belongs in either Hieraaetus or Aquila^[9]
  • Genus Lophotriorchis
    • Rufous-bellied Hawk-Eagle, L. kienerii

A Steppe Eagle in Lahore Zoo, Pakistan

• • Genus Aquila
    • Bonelli's Eagle, Aquila fasciata – formerly Hieraaetus fasciatus
    • Booted Eagle, A. pennata – formerly Hieraaetus pennatus
    • Golden Eagle, A. chrysaetos
    • Eastern Imperial Eagle, A. heliaca
    • Spanish Imperial Eagle A. adalberti
    • Steppe Eagle, A. nipalensis
    • Tawny Eagle, A. rapax
    • Greater Spotted Eagle, A. clanga – to be moved to Lophaetus or Ictinaetus
    • Lesser Spotted Eagle, A. pomarina – to be moved to Lophaetus or Ictinaetus
    • Indian Spotted Eagle, A. hastata – to be moved to Lophaetus or Ictinaetus
    • Verreaux's Eagle, A. verreauxii
    • Gurney's Eagle, A. gurneyi
    • Wahlberg's Eagle, A. wahlbergi
    • Wedge-tailed Eagle, A. audax
  • Genus Ictinaetus
    • Black Eagle, Ictinaetus malayensis
  • Genus Haliaeetus
    • White-tailed Eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla
    • Bald Eagle, H. leucocephalus
    • Steller's Sea Eagle, H. pelagicus
    • African Fish Eagle, H. vocifer
    • White-bellied Sea Eagle, H. leucogaster
    • Sanford's Sea Eagle, H. sanfordi
    • Madagascar Fish Eagle, H. vociferoides
    • Pallas' Sea Eagle, H. leucoryphus
  • Genus Ichthyophaga
    • Lesser Fish Eagle, Ichthyophaga humilis
    • Grey-headed Fish Eagle, I. ichthyaetus

Short-toed Snake Eagle in flight

• Subfamily Circaetinae: snake-eagles
  • Genus Terathopius
    • Bateleur, Terathopius ecaudatus
  • Genus Circaetus
    • Short-toed Snake Eagle, Circaetus gallicus
    • Black-chested Snake Eagle, C. pectoralis
    • Brown Snake Eagle, C. cinereus
    • Fasciated Snake Eagle, C. fasciolatus
    • Western Banded Snake Eagle, C. cinerascens
  • Genus Spilornis
    • Crested Serpent Eagle, Spilornis cheela
      • Central Nicobar Serpent Eagle, S. minimus (subspecies or species)
    • Great Nicobar Serpent Eagle, S. klossi
    • Mountain Serpent Eagle, S. kinabaluensis
    • Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, S. rufipectus
    • Philippine Serpent Eagle, S. holospilus
    • Andaman Serpent Eagle, S. elgini
  • Genus Eutriorchis
    • Madagascar Serpent Eagle, Eutriorchis astur

Eagles in culture[link]

The modern English name of the bird is derived from the Latin term aquila by way of the French aigle. The Latin aquila may derive from the word aquilus, meaning dark-colored, swarthy, or blackish, as a description of the eagle's plumage; or from aquilo, the Latin version of Greek boreas, or north wind; however, aquilus and aquilo may just as well derive from aquila (or be unrelated) and the latter be of unknown origin.

Old English used the term earn, related to Scandinavia's ørn / örn. The etymology of this word relates it to Greek ornís, meaning "bird", though other Indo-European languages (such as Welsh eryr or Russian orël / орёл) show that the meaning 'eagle' is older. The Greek word may be an old diminutive. The Albanian word for eagle is "shqiponje" deriving from the root "shqipe", which means "eagle".

In Britain before 1678, eagle referred specifically to the Golden Eagle, with the other native species, the White-tailed Eagle, being known as the Erne. The modern name "Golden Eagle" for aquila chrysaetos was introduced by the naturalist John Ray.

Religion[link]

Garuda, the Vahana of Lord Vishnu, depicted with an eagle's beak and wings.

The Moche people of ancient Peru worshiped the animal and often depicted eagles in their art.^[10]

Despite modern and historic Native American practices of giving eagle feathers to non-indigenous people and also members of other tribes who have been deemed worthy, current United States eagle feather law stipulates that only individuals of certifiable Native American ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers for religious or spiritual reasons.^[11] In Canada, poaching of eagle feathers for the booming U.S. market has sometimes resulted in the arrests of First Nations person for the crime.^[12]

In Hindu religion, Garuda is a lesser Hindu divinity, usually the mount (vahanam) of Vishnu. Garuda is depicted as having the golden body of a strong man with a white face, red wings, and an eagle's beak and with a crown on his head. This ancient deity was said to be massive, large enough to block out the sun.

The eagle is also the patron animal of Zeus. In particular, Zeus was said to have taken the form of an eagle in order to abduct Ganymede, and there are numerous artistic depictions of the Eagle Zeus bearing Ganymede aloft, from Classical times up to the present (see illustrations in the Ganymede (mythology) page.)

Eagles as national symbols[link]

This section is in a list format that may be better presented using prose. You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (February 2012)

The coat of arms of Mexico - a golden eagle perched upon a cactus eating a snake

The coat of arms of Austria - a black eagle holding a hammer and a sickle, with a broken chain between its legs.

Eagles have been used by many nations as a national symbol.

• The coat of arms of the Seljukian Empire has a double-headed eagle
• The coat of arms of Albania has a black double-headed eagle. Furthermore the eagle gives Albania its name ( in Albanian Shqiperia meaning Land of the eagles) and Albanians call themselves shqipetar or shqipe meaning eagles.
• The coat of arms of Armenia has a gold eagle and lion.
• The coat of arms of Austria has a black eagle.
• The coat of arms of the Czech Republic integrates the symbols of Moravia and Silesia (both with female eagles in their emblems – red-and-white chequered and black respectively) on the coat of arms of the Czech Republic with Bohemia's lion.
• The coat of arms of Egypt is a golden eagle looking towards the viewer's left. It is taking from the golden Eagle of Saladin founded on Saladin Citadel of Cairo.
• The coat of arms of Germany has a black eagle.
• The coat of arms of Ghana has two golden eagles holding it.
• The coat of arms of Iceland has an eagle holding it, as well as a dragon, a bull and a giant.
• The coat of arms of Indonesia has an eagle-like garuda carrying a shield on its neck and a banner on its feet.
• The coat of arms of Iraq has the golden Eagle of Saladin
• The coat of arms of Mexico has a golden eagle perched upon a cactus devouring a snake.
• The coat of arms of Moldova consists of a stylized eagle holding a cross in its beak and a sceptre and a branch in its claws.
• The coat of arms of Montenegro represents the two-headed eagle in flight.
• The coat of arms of Navarre/Basque Country Kingdom has a black eagle.
• The coat of arms of Nigeria has a red eagle on top.
• The coat of arms of Panama has a harpy eagle
• The coat of arms of the Philippines has the bald eagle of the United States as a symbol of its colonial past, but the Monkey-eating Eagle is the de jure National Bird of the country.
• The coat of arms of Poland has a white eagle with a golden beak and talons wearing a golden crown.
• The coat of arms of Romania has a golden aquila holding a cross in its beak and a mace and a sword in its claws.
• The coat of arms of Russia has a gold double-headed eagle.
• The coat of arms of Serbia has a white bicephalic eagle of the House of Nemanjić.
• The coat of arms of Syria formerly had the eagle of Saladin.
• The Great Seal of the United States has a bald eagle.
• The coat of arms of Yemen depicts a golden eagle with a scroll between its claws.
• The coat of arms of Zambia has a orange red eagle on top
• The coat of arms of Ghana has two eagles.
• The Polish and the Serbian eagles are distinguished by their white color.

Historic uses:

• The Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt used it as their seal.
• Napoleon I used the Roman Golden Eagle as the symbol of his new French empire.
• Persian Empire: the symbol of Persian Army was an Eagle.
• The Romans used it on the standards of their armies. From this derives:
  • The late Byzantine Empire chose a two-headed golden eagle as its symbol. It is popularly that one head symbolised ancient Rome, and the other head symbolized "new Rome" at Constantinople. From this derives:
    • The two-headed eagle is the emblem of "Shqipëria" or Land of the Eagles, which is known in English as Albania (see The Tale of the Eagle for the legendary origin of the name)
    • After the fall of Constantinople, the Russian Empire took the two-headed eagle as its own symbol.
  • After his crowning as the new Roman Emperor, Charlemagne adopted the ancient Roman eagle as his own symbol. The Holy Roman Empire born of his kingdom took the eagle, but the Habsburgs replaced the golden eagle by an imperial eagle. From this derives:
    • The Austrian Empire had a two-headed eagle as its symbol. After the abolition of Austria-Hungary, Austria took as its symbol a one-headed eagle in the modern coat of arms of Austria.
    • Prussia, and later Germany have used a black eagle as their national symbol.
    • The Spanish Catholic monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand, used the eagle as a part of the royal shield representing Saint John the Evangelist. The eagle was again on the Spanish shield under the Francoist regime and the transition to Democracy (1939–1981).
• The Seljuk Turks and Ottoman Turks used a double-headed eagle as coats-of-arms.

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Bruguier, Leonard. A Warrior's Eagle Feather^{[dead link]}
• Collinson, Martin. Splitting headaches? Recent taxonomic changes affecting the British and Western Palaearctic lists British Birds vol 99 (June 2006), 306–323

External links[link]

Look up eagle in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Eagles

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Eagle.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Eagles

• PBS Nature: Eagles
• PBS Video Episode: American Eagle
• Eagle photos on Oriental Bird Images
• Eagle videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• Web of the Conservation Biology Team-Bonelli's Eagle, of the University of Barcelona
• Eagle Conservation Alliance (ECA)
• Decorah Eagles: 24/7 Live Webcam from The Raptor Resource Project

lez:Лекь

Laura Marling
Performing at The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, in November 2009.
Background information
Born	(1990-02-01) 1 February 1990 (age 22)
Origin	Eversley, Hampshire, England
Genres	Contemporary folk, folk rock
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass, piano
Years active	2006–present
Labels	WayOutWest, Virgin
Associated acts	Noah and the Whale, The Rakes, Mystery Jets, Johnny Flynn, Mumford & Sons
Website	LauraMarling.com

Laura Beatrice Marling (born 1 February 1990) is an English folk musician from Eversley, Hampshire.

Initially prominent within the London folk scene, she has also toured with a number of well-known indie artists in the UK. Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim and her second album I Speak Because I Can were nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2008 and 2010 respectively. She won Best Female Solo Artist at the 2011 Brit Awards.

Biography[link]

Marling was born in Hampshire, England, the youngest of three daughters of a music teacher,^[1] and learned guitar at an early age. Her father, who ran a recording studio, introduced her to folk music and shaped her musical taste. This was "a bit of a blessing and a bit of a curse. I couldn’t slot myself into the age-appropriate genre", she later remembered.^[2] Marling was educated at Leighton Park School, a private Quaker school in Reading, Berkshire.^[3] She has said that during this time she felt uneasy around other people and had a fear of death.^[4]

At the age of 16 Marling moved to London, where she soon became part of a cluster of intertwined bands drawn to acoustic instruments and tradition-tinged melodies which formed a movement labelled "nu-folk" by the British press.^[2] She became part of the original line-up of indie folk band Noah and the Whale and was romantically linked with singer/guitarist Charlie Fink.^[3][5] She is featured as a background vocalist on their début album Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down; however, she left the group before the album's 2008 release and split up with Fink that same year.^[5][6] She also appeared on The Rakes track "Suspicious Eyes", from the band's 2007 album Ten New Messages, credited as 'Laura Marlin'. Marling would later collaborate with Mystery Jets, contributing guest vocals to the single "Young Love", released 10 March 2008. Previously, Marling was in a relationship with Marcus Mumford; they broke up around Christmas 2010, but are reportedly still friends.^[7]

[edit] Alas, I Cannot Swim

She was personally invited to tour with Jamie T after he attended her second-ever solo gig. She has also toured with a number of other musicians from the UK and beyond, including Adam Green from the anti-folk band The Moldy Peaches. She performed at the 2007 O₂ Wireless Festival and also performed at the first Underage Festival in August 2007 at Victoria Park, East London, before releasing her debut EP "London Town" on WayOutWest Records.

Her debut album Alas, I Cannot Swim was released on 4 February 2008,^[8] and later nominated for the 2008 Mercury Prize.^[9] The album, as well as subsequent singles, were released on Virgin Records. The third and final single from her album, "Night Terror" was released on 27 October 2008, coinciding with a 6-date "Night Terror tour".^[10]

Marling's television appearances include The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Later With Jools Holland, performing "Ghosts" and "New Romantic" respectively. In 2008 she appeared on Russell Brand's Radio 2 show alongside her sister. She once chose to perform on the street after being denied entry to one of her own performances for being underage.^[11][12]

[edit] I Speak Because I Can

The follow-up to Alas I Cannot Swim, titled I Speak Because I Can, was released on 22 March 2010. Produced by Ethan Johns, the album has a more mature sound and lyricism, dealing with "responsibility, particularly the responsibility of womanhood."^[13] The album is preceded by the singles "Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)", released on iTunes in December 2009^[14] and "Devil's Spoke" on 15 March 2010. On 28 March 2010, I Speak Because I Can entered the UK Albums Chart at Number 4. It was also nominated for the 2010 Mercury Music Prize.

[edit] A Creature I Don't Know

In 2010, Marling announced that she would release two albums in 2010, the first of which being I Speak Because I Can. She later announced that there was a change of plan and that she wouldn't be releasing a second album that year. She did, however, add that the album would be better due to the delay, and that she hoped to have it finished for February 2011. In June 2011, the new album's title was revealed to be A Creature I Don't Know and the album was released on 12 September 2011.^[15]

Discography[link]

• Alas, I Cannot Swim (2008)
• I Speak Because I Can (2010)
• A Creature I Don't Know (2011)

Laura Marling also has recorded various songs such as "Soulless Child", "Candlelight", "Karma" and "Mexico" (all of which can be heard on YouTube but are not yet for sale) as well as "She's Changed" (of which a live version is for sale, but not a studio version) and "Such a Shame" (which is neither for sale nor available on YouTube).

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Laura Marling

• Official Website