The Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax), sometimes known as the Eaglehawk (a slight misnomer, as it is among the largest raptors) in its native range, is the largest bird of prey in Australia, but it is also found in southern New Guinea. It has long, fairly broad wings, fully feathered legs, and an unmistakable wedge-shaped tail. Because of both its tail and its size — it is one of the largest birds of prey in the world — it can be identified at a glance as a "Wedgie" even by the non-expert.

The Wedge-tailed Eagle is one of twelve species of large predominantly dark-coloured eagles in the genus Aquila found worldwide. A large brown bird of prey, it has a wingspan of up to 2.27 metres (7.4 ft) and a length up to 1.04 metres (3.4 ft).

The female Wedge-tailed Eagle weighs between 3 and 5.77 kg (6.6 and 12.7 lb), while the smaller males weigh 2 to 4 kg (4.4 to 8.8 lb). Length varies between 81 and 106 cm (32 and 42 in) and the wingspan between 182 and 232 cm (5.97 and 7.61 ft). The largest wingspan ever verified for an eagle was for this species. A female killed in Tasmania in 1931 had a wingspan of 2.84 m (9.3 ft), another female measured barely smaller at 2.79 m (9.1 ft). This eagle's great length and wingspan place it among the largest eagles in the world but its wings, at more than 65 cm (26 in) each, and tail, at 45 cm (18 in), are both unusually elongated for its body weight and 8-9 other eagle species regularly outweigh it.