The golden eagle is one of the most impressive and widespread birds of prey in the world, found across much of the Northern Hemisphere. In Spain, it appears mainly in major mountain systems and avoids heavily humanized or intensely farmed areas. It stands out for its enormous size, with a wingspan that can exceed two meters, and for its dark brown plumage with golden highlights on the head that make it unmistakable. Its flight silhouette is also very recognizable, with long wings slightly raised and a well-defined tail. Although it’s mostly a sedentary species, juveniles can travel huge distances before settling, sometimes even crossing into Africa during that stage. In Spain, there are more than 1,500 breeding pairs, and although most regional populations are increasing, the species is still vulnerable due to habitat loss, poisoning, illegal hunting, and wind farm mortality. Its diet is varied, mainly based on rabbits and hares, but it also includes birds, reptiles, carrion, and sometimes even larger prey when the opportunity appears. Golden eagles are monogamous and build massive nests that they expand every year, laying one to three eggs with an incubation period of over forty days. In provinces like Málaga, the species is present all year round and is the top predator in the area. In the end, its presence is a sign that the ecosystem is still healthy, although its survival depends completely on how well its environment is protected. #eagle #goldeneagle #wildlife #wild #fyp - @ematz.1