The golden eagle is a large, powerful raptor found across the Northern Hemisphere. Known for its keen eyesight and strong talons, it is a skilled hunter able to take down prey much larger than itself. The golden eagle has a distinctive appearance, with dark brown plumage and pale golden-brown feathers on the head and neck. It makes a variety of vocalizations, from high-pitched whistles to loud screeches. Understanding the noises golden eagles make can provide insight into their behavior and communication.
Screeching
One of the most recognizable golden eagle noises is a loud, piercing screech. This screech can serve several purposes:
- Defending territory – Golden eagles are highly territorial and use screeches to warn intruders away.
- Communicating with mates – Mated pairs will screech back and forth to signal their location and maintain their bond.
- Begging for food – Chicks and fledglings will screech loudly and incessantly when demanding food from their parents.
- Alarm call – Eagles may screech to signal danger or the presence of a threat.
The screech of a golden eagle is a shrill, descending cry that tapers off at the end. It can carry for over a mile and is often described as sounding similar to that of a red-tailed hawk. Screeching is one of the most frequent vocalizations used by golden eagles.
Whistling
In addition to screeching, golden eagles can produce high-pitched whistling sounds. These whistles are often used during courtship and pair bonding behaviors:
- Contact calls – Mates will whistle back and forth to signal their location and confirm their bond.
- Food offering – When one mate returns to the nest with food, it may emit a whistle to summon the other.
- Greeting – Eagles will whistle as a greeting to their mate after being separated.
- Courtship feeding – High-pitched whistles are associated with courtship feeding rituals.
The whistles of golden eagles are shorter and more melodic than their harsh screeches. They whistle using a specialized syrinx vocal organ in their throat. Whistling helps strengthen the lifelong pair bonds between mates.
Chirping
Golden eagle chicks will make soft chirping or cheeping sounds. This occurs when the chicks are very young, still in the nest and dependent on their parents for food. Chirping serves several purposes for eagle chicks:
- Hunger signals – Chicks chirp to let the parents know they are hungry.
- Location signals – The chirps help guide the parents back to the nest when delivering food.
- Bonding – Vocalizing helps the chicks bond with their parents.
- Competing – In nests with multiple chicks, louder chirping signals greater hunger and competitiveness when the parents return.
As they grow older, golden eagle chicks gradually transition from high-pitched chirping to louder screeching and demanding food with wing-flapping. The chirps are one of the softer, more endearing vocalizations made by golden eagles.
Hissing
When threatened or defending themselves, golden eagles may produce a hissing sound, similar to a cat. Hissing is associated with aggression and territorial defense:
- Nest defense – Eagles will hiss at perceived threats near the nest, like humans, predators, or drones.
- Food defense – An eagle will hiss when defending a kill from other eagles trying to steal it.
- Brooding defense – If approached too closely while brooding chicks, an eagle parent may hiss in warning.
- Territorial defense – Intruding eagles may be chased off with aggressive hissing.
The hiss is an intense threat display, often accompanied by spreading wings, flicking tongue, and other behaviors to look more intimidating. It serves as a warning to back off before attacking with talons.
Clapping
Golden eagles have a distinctive clapping sound made by their wings during flight displays and courtship:
- Undulating flight displays – Eagles clap their wings together repeatedly to make the clapping noise during territorial displays and courtship flights.
- Dive displays – Clapping may occur at the top of a dive before folding wings and plunging, to emphasize the visual display.
- Greeting displays – Mates may perform clapping flight displays as a form of greeting or bonding ritual.
- Skydance – The clapping noise can happen during a skydance, an acrobatic display of rolls and dives.
The clapping noise is made by bringing the wings together beneath the body in rapid succession. It takes great aerial skill and carries across the landscape.
Other Noises
In some circumstances, golden eagles may make other sounds:
- Alarm call – A short, barking “kek” given to signal danger.
- Bill snapping – Clicking or snapping the bill as a threat display.
- Tail fanning – Rustling sound from fanning tail feathers as a territorial display.
- Wing ruffling – Rustling or whooshing sound from shaking out feathers.
- Physical strikes – Swooping in silence to strike with talons rather than vocalizing.
These noises all help golden eagles communicate and respond to their environment. They may serve purposes like adjusting status, warning others, or defending resources.
When Do Golden Eagles Vocalize?
The noises made by golden eagles can vary based on the context and time of year:
- Breeding season – More whistling and screaming occurs as pairs defend nest sites and court.
- Nesting – Softer chirping is heard from the nest as the eaglets communicate.
- Fledging – Louder screeching by fledglings demanding food from parents.
- Winter – Less vocalizing overall but may scream to defend kills from other eagles.
- Migration – Eagles may screech to maintain contact with their mate during migration.
In general, golden eagles are more vocal during courtship and the breeding season from December to July. Vocalizations help coordinate breeding activities and defend nesting territories.
Purpose of Golden Eagle Vocalizations
Golden eagle sounds have several key functions:
- Claiming territory – Screeching advertises occupancy of breeding and hunting grounds.
- Reinforcing bonds – Whistling and screaming maintain lifelong pair bonds.
- Begging – Louder begging calls signal greater hunger to parent birds.
- Self-defense – Hissing and bill-snapping warn perceived threats to back off.
- Coordinating hunting – Some evidence suggests screaming may aid in coordinating attacks on prey animals.
Vocalizations help golden eagles navigate communication, social hierarchy, courtship, and essential behaviors tied to survival and reproduction.
Identifying Golden Eagles by Sound
There are some key features that can help identify the sound of a golden eagle:
- Loud, shrill screams – Penetrating, far-carrying screeches.
- High-pitched whistles – Distinct melodic whistling sounds.
- Series of claps – Percussive clapping sounds from wings.
- Downward inflection – Many calls have a descending pitch.
- Conversational screams – Back-and-forth screaming between mates.
- Harsh quality – Raspy, abrasive texture to screams.
Differentiating from bald eagles, golden eagle screams have a more urgent, shrill quality compared to bald eagle chirps. Understanding these sound signatures can help identify golden eagles in the wild based on vocal behavior.
Adaptations for Golden Eagle Vocalizations
Golden eagles possess specialized physical adaptations that allow them to produce their signature sounds:
- Syrinx – An organ located at the junction of the trachea and bronchi that enables production of melodious whistles.
- Strong respiratory system – Powerful lungs provide the air required to support loud, penetrating screeches.
- Raptor vocal anatomy – Well-developed vocal anatomy includes larger vibrating membranes in the syrinx.
- Modified feathers – Narrow feathers on wing edges can spread to clap wings.
- Keen hearing – Eagles have enhanced auditory structures to detect each other’s vocalizations.
These adaptations allow for the diverse vocal repertoire used by golden eagles in communication, signaling danger, claiming territory, and coordinating critical breeding behaviors.
Behavior Associated with Golden Eagle Vocalizations
Golden eagle vocalizations are associated with specific postures and behaviors:
- Perched screaming – Screeching from a high perch to survey territory.
- Wing spread hissing – Hissing with wings spread upwards and downwards to appear larger.
- Skypointing – Screaming upward with wings in a V-shape.
- Undulating flight displays – Alternating dips and climbs accompanied by clapping.
- Food begging – Loud screeching and wing flapping by fledglings.
- Talon grappling – Silent grappling and screaming once on the ground.
- Head bobbing – Bobbing head up and down while hissing.
Recognizing associated postures and motions can provide additional context to understand golden eagle vocalizations in the wild.
Conclusion
In summary, golden eagles utilize a diverse repertoire of vocalizations that serve essential functions in communication, defending resources, courtship, and coordinating breeding. Loud screeches advertise occupancy of territory and summon mates. Softer whistles maintain lifelong pair bonds. Begging calls signal hunger levels of chicks. Hissing and clapping accompany aggressive displays. Understanding the context, adaptations, and associated behaviors of golden eagle sounds provides greater insight into the lives of these regal raptors. With their wide range and far-carrying calls, the screaming of golden eagles epitomizes the wilderness they inhabit.
