Golden Eagle
(Aquila chrysaetos)

Golden Eagle Image by David Brandes

The 10-year migration count trends for Golden Eagle suggest stable populations across North America with 83% of sites showing no statistically significant changes in counts during this span. This picture holds regionally with mostly stable counts in the East, stable or increasing population in the Central Region, and stable or decreasing population in the West (see pie charts and trend maps below). The 20-year count trends (not shown) similarly show mixed results (East Region: 4 stable, 2 increase, 3 decrease; Central Region: 1 stable, 1 increase; West Region: 4 stable, 1 decrease). Nonetheless, the 20-year trend is decreasing at Bridgers, Montana, the site with the highest counts of Golden Eagle.

Winter survey data from the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) also show mostly stable 10-year trends continent-wide as 39 of 43 states and provinces show no statistically significant changes. The Golden Eagle is listed by the IUCN Red List as a species of Conservation Concern throughout its range due to threats such as energy development, loss of habitat, lead poisoning, and electrocution.

Golden Eagle, North America

2009-2019 (n=35)

Golden Eagle, East

2009-2019 (n=57)

Golden Eagle, Central

2009-2019 (n=4)

Golden Eagle, West

2009-2019 (n=7)

Please cite this page as:
D. Oleyar, D. Ethier, L. Goodrich, D. Brandes, R. Smith, J. Brown, and J. Sodergren. 2021. The Raptor Population Index: 2019 Analyses and Assessments.

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