?Wedge-tailed Eagle Conservation status: Least concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Falconiformes Family: Accipitridae Genus: Aquila Species: A. audax
Binomial name
Aquila audax (Latham, 1802)

The Wedge-tailed Eagle or Eaglehawk (Aquila audax) is a very large Australasian raptor and the most common of all the world's large eagles. It has long, fairly broad wings, fully feathered legs, and an unmistakable wedge-shaped tail. Both because of its size—it is one of the largest birds in the world—and because of the pointed tail, it can be identified at a glance as a "Wedgie" even by the non-expert. The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2024x1520, 1901 KB) Retrieved from [1] where it says: There are no usage restrictions for this photo. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms (as opposed to folk taxonomy). ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (dicyemids) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Myxozoa (slime animals) Superphylum Deuterostomia (blastopore becomes anus) Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicatas Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Many - see section below. ... Families Accipitridae Pandionidae Falconidae Sagittariidae The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that include the diurnal birds of prey. ... Subfamilies Elaninae Perninae Milvinae Accipitrinae Buteoninae Aegypiinae Circinae Circaetinae The Accipitridae is one of the two main families within the order Falconiformes (the diurnal birds of prey). ... Genera Several, see below. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... John Latham John Latham (June 27, 1740 - February 4, 1837) was an English physician, naturalist and author. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Oceania. ... Orders Accipitriformes     Cathartidae     Pandionidae     Accipitridae     Sagittariidae Falconiformes     Falconidae A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts its food, especially one that preys on mammals or other birds. ... // This article is about the bird. ...

Physical Description

As with many raptors, the female is much larger than the male, averaging around 4.2 kg and sometimes over 5 kg. Males are typically around 3.2 kg. Length varies between 0.9 metres (3 ft 3 in) and 1.1 metres (3 ft 7 in), wingspan from 1.8 metres (5 ft 11 in) to 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in).

Young Wedge-tailed Eagles are a mid-brown colour with slightly lighter, reddish-brown wings and head. As they grow older, their colour becomes gradually darker, reaching a dark blackish-brown shade after about ten years. Adult females tend to be slightly paler than males.

Habitat

Wedge-tails are found throughout Australia and southern New Guinea in almost all habitats, though they tend to be more common in lightly timbered and open country in southern and eastern Australia.

Behaviour and Diet

They are highly aerial, soaring for hours on end without wingbeat or effort, regularly reaching 6000 feet (2000 m) and sometimes considerably higher. The purpose of this very high flight is unknown. Their keen eyesight extends into the infrared and ultraviolet bands. This helps them spot prey and allows them to see rising thermals, which they can use to gain altitude while expending little energy. Image of a small dog taken in mid-infrared (thermal) light (false color) Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than that of visible light, but shorter than that of radio waves. ... Ultraviolet (UV) light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than soft X-rays. ... This article is about the atmospheric phenomenon. ...

Most prey is captured on the ground in gliding attacks or (less frequently) in the air. Choice of prey is very much a matter of convenience and opportunity: since the arrival of Europeans, the introduced rabbit and Brown Hare have become the primary items of the eagle's diet in many areas. The Wedge-tails can eat almost anything of a suitable size, live-caught or as carrion. In their natural environment and in captivity, rabbits are a benign, even useful species. ... Binomial name Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778 The European Hare (Lepus europaeus) is a species of hare native to Europe and western Asia. ... Titan arum For other uses, see Carrion (disambiguation). ...

They display considerable adaptability, and have sometimes been known to team up to hunt animals as large as the Red Kangaroo; to cause goats to fall off steep hillsides and injure themselves; or to drive flocks of sheep or kangaroos to isolate a weaker animal. Binomial name Macropus rufus Desmarest, 1822 The Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus) is the largest of all kangaroos and the largest surviving marsupial. ... Species See Species and subspecies The goat is a mammal in the genus Capra, which consists of nine species: the Ibex, the West Caucasian Tur, the East Caucasian Tur, the Markhor, and the Wild Goat. ... Species See text. ... Species Macropus rufus Macropus giganteus Macropus fuliginosus A kangaroo is any of several large macropods (the marsupial family that also includes the wallabies, tree-kangaroos, wallaroos, pademelons and the Quokka: 63 species in all). ...

Carrion is a major diet item also: Wedge-tails are able to spot the activity of ravens around a carcass from a great distance, and glide down to appropriate it. Species See text. ...

Conservation status

The Tasmanian subspecies (Aquila audax fleayi) is listed as endangered by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) [1] with less than 200 pairs left in the wild. Like the Thylacine, the eagle was once subject to a bounty in Tasmania, as it was believed to have predated on livestock. Emblems: {{{Emblems}}} Motto: Ubertas et Fidelitas (Fertility and Faithfulness) Slogan or Nickname: The Apple Isle Other Australian states and territories Capital Hobart Government Const. ... In zoology, as in other branches of biology, subspecies is the rank immediately subordinate to a species. ... The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and culturally significant places. ... Binomial name Thylacinus cynocephalus (Harris, 1808) The Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was a large carnivorous marsupial native to Australia. ...

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Aquila audax. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern