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Eagle



         


For other uses, see Eagle (disambiguation).

Accipitriformes are a separate order,
or belong to the Falconiformes.

</table> Eagles are large birds of prey, which are found mainly in the Old World, with only two species (Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle) in North America and a few in South America. They are members of the bird order Falconiformes, family Accipitridae and belong to several different genera. In Britain before 1678, Eagle referred specifically to the Golden Eagle, the other native species, the White-tailed Eagle, being known as the Erne. The modern name for Aquila chrysaetos was introduced by naturalist John Ray. The eagle has been used by many nations as a national symbol, depicting power, beauty and independence. The Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt used it as their seal, while the Romans used it on the standards of their armies. The United States adopted the North American Bald Eagle as its national emblem. It is also part of the Coat of Arms of Romania and the emblem of "Shqipëria" or Land of the Eagles which is known as Albania. Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs and powerful talons. They also have extremely keen eyesight to enable them to spot potential prey from a distance.
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