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eagle

 
American Heritage Dictionary:

ea·gle

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(ē'gəl) pronunciation
n.
  1. Any of various large diurnal birds of prey of the family Accipitridae, including members of the genera Aquila and Haliaeetus, characterized by a powerful hooked bill, keen vision, long broad wings, and strong soaring flight.
  2. A representation of an eagle used as an emblem or insignia.
  3. A gold coin formerly used in the United States, stamped with an eagle on the reverse side and having a face value of ten dollars.
  4. Sports. A golf score of two strokes under par on a hole.

v. Sports, -gled, -gling, -gles.

v.tr.
To shoot (a hole in golf) in two strokes under par.

v.intr.
To score an eagle in golf.

[Middle English egle, from Anglo-Norman, from Old Provençal aigla, from Latin aquila.]


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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia:

eagle

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White-bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) catching a fish.
(click to enlarge)
White-bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) catching a fish. (credit: © Mary Plage/Bruce Coleman Ltd.)
Any of many large, heavy-beaked, big-footed birds of prey belonging to the family Accipitridae, found worldwide. Eagles are generally larger and more powerful than hawks and may resemble a vulture in build and flight characteristics, but they have a fully feathered (often crested) head and strong feet equipped with great curved talons. Most species subsist mainly on live prey, which they generally capture on the ground. Eagles have been a symbol of war and imperial power since Babylonian times. They mate for life. They nest in inaccessible places and use the same nest each year. Species vary from 24 in. to 3.3 ft (60 cm – 1 m) long. The sea eagles include the bald eagle. See also golden eagle.

For more information on eagle, visit Britannica.com.

Oxford Dictionary of the US Military:

eagle

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n. a figure of an eagle, especially as a symbol of the United States, or formerly as a Roman or French ensign.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology:

eagle

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[Latin, Middle English egle]

The large, diurnal bird of prey (genus Aquila) plays a surprisingly small role in Celtic mythology and iconography, compared to other European traditions. Gaulish examples appear copied from Roman models. In Irish and Welsh traditions the eagle is thought to be one of the oldest of animals; a Scottish Gaelic phrase describes it as sàr-eun [veritable bird]. Culhwch consults the ancient eagle of Gwernabwy in his search for Mabon. Several heroes, Fintan mac Bóchra, Lleu Llaw Gyffes, Taliesin, and Tuan mac Cairill, take the form of an eagle, often in a series of transformations; the transformation into a salmon usually follows. In Irish folklore the hawk of Achill tricks an eagle by sending it on a fruitless errand while the hawk eats the eagle's chicks. The eagles of Snowdonia (W Eryri) in Welsh tradition were thought to be oracles of peace and war; flying high signalled victory, but flying low, crying incessantly, implied defeat for the Welsh. In later tradition the eagle may be associated with St John the Evangelist, with the sign of Scorpio in the zodiac, or with water as one of the four elements. In Irish and Scottish Gaelic folklore Adam and Eve are thought to be extant as eagles. See ERYR PENGWERN [The Eagle of Pengwern]. Modern Irish iolar; Scottish Gaelic iolaire; Manx urly; Welsh eryr; Cornish ēr; Breton erer.

Columbia Encyclopedia:

eagle

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eagle, common name for large predatory birds of the family Falconidae (hawk family), found in all parts of the world. Eagles are similar to the buteos, or buzzard hawks, but are larger both in length and in wingspread (up to 71/2 ft/228 cm) and have beaks nearly as long as their heads. They are solitary birds, said to mate for life. The nest, or aerie, of twigs and sticks is built at a vantage point high in a tree or on a cliff in a permanent feeding territory and is added to year after year, the refuse of the previous nests decomposing beneath the new additions. Nests can become enormous, measuring up to ten feet across and weighing well over 1,000 pounds. The eaglets (usually two) do not develop adult markings until their third year, when they leave parental protection and seek their own mates and territories.

The American bald (in the sense of white, as in piebald), or white-headed, eagle (Haliaetus leucocephalus) is found in all parts of North America near water and feeds chiefly on dead fish (sometimes robbing the osprey's catch) and rodents. It is dark brown with white head, neck, and tail plumage. The northern species (found chiefly in Canada) is slightly larger than the southern, which ranges throughout the United States. With only 417 known breeding pairs in the 48 contiguous states in 1963, the bald eagle population was dwindling alarmingly; a decade later they were placed on the endangered species list. In one of the greatest success stories in species recovery, conservation methods such as the banning of DDT and the prohibition against eagle hunting had by the beginning of the 21st cent. increased the breeding population in the lower 48 states to some 5,000 pairs. In 1995 the bald eagle was removed from endangered status, and in 2007, when there were nearly 10,000 breeding pairs in the lower 48, it was removed from threatened status. The bald eagle (and golden eagle) continue to be protected by federal law.

The golden, or mountain, eagle (genus Aquila-whence aquiline, meaning eaglelike) is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, in the United States found mostly in the West. Unlike the bald eagle, it is an aggressive predator. In Asia it is trained to hunt small game (see falconry). The adult is sooty brown with tawny head and neck feathers; unlike those of the bald eagle, its legs are feathered to the toes. The gray and Steller's sea eagles (also in the genus Haliaetus) are native to colder areas of the Northern Hemisphere; the king or imperial eagle to S Europe and Asia; and the rare monkey-eating eagle to the Philippines. The harpy, or harpy eagle (Thrasyaetus harpyia), of Central and South America, the largest (38 in./95 cm long) of the hawks, eats macaws and sloths. It was named for the winged monsters of Greek myth and was called "winged wolf" by the Aztecs. New Zealand's extinct Haast's eagle, which had a 10-ft (3-m) wingspan and weighed 30% to 40% more than the harpy, was the top predator in the archipelago's ecosystem prior to the arrival of humans.

Eagles-impressive both in size and for their fearsome beauty-have long been symbols of royal power and have appeared on coins, seals, flags, and standards since ancient times. The eagle was the emblem of one of the Ptolemies of Egypt and was borne on the standards of the Roman armies and of Napoleon's troops. The American bald eagle became the national emblem of the United States by act of Congress in 1782. In folklore the eagle's ability to carry off prey, including children (e.g., the legend of Ganymede), has been exaggerated; even the powerful golden eagle can lift no more than 8 lb (3.6 kg).

Eagles are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Falconiformes, family Accipitridae.

Oxford Dictionary of British Place Names:

Eagle

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Lincolnshire Aclei, Aycle (1086) (DB). ‘Wood where oak-trees grow’. OE āc (replaced by OScand. eik) + OE lēah.

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McGraw-Hill Slang Dictionary:

eagle

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n. a dollar bill. (From the picture of the eagle on the back.)  This thing ain't worth four eagles!
Word Tutor:

eagle

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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: Any of several large, powerful birds with sharp eyesight that prey on other birds and animals.

pronunciation The bald eagle is the national symbol of the United States.

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

Sign Language Videos:

eagle

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sign description: The backside of the X hand taps the nose.



The Dream Encyclopedia:

Eagle

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Eagles fall under the larger meaning of birds, especially as spiritual symbols. Eagles are also associated with the sun, and thus have solar symbolism. A common mythological motif is an eagle in combat with an earthbound animal, which symbolizes the spirit or the mind (the eagle) struggling with more mundane needs or desires. Eagles are also traditionally associated with nobility (especially with kings) and authority, which in dreams can be a symbol for the father or for the animus. Other traits commonly associated with eagles include pride, fierceness, and courage.

Saunders Veterinary Dictionary:

eagle

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Raptor bird of the families Falconidae and Accipitridae. Includes the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), tawny eagle (Aquila rapax) and bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).

Random House Word Menu:

categories related to 'eagle'

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Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier
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Bradford's Crossword Solver's Dictionary:

eagle

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  See crossword solutions for the clue Eagle.
Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Eagle

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This article is about the bird. For other uses, see Eagle (disambiguation).
Eagle
Bald Eagle
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes ( or Accipitriformes, q.v.)
Family: Accipitridae
Genera

Several, see text

Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 61 species occur in Eurasia and Africa.[1] Outside this area, just two species (the Bald and Golden Eagles) can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in Central and South America, and three in Australia. Many different species of eagle are found in the Philippines.

Contents

Description

Eagles are large, powerfully built birds of prey, with a heavy head and beak. Even the smallest eagles, like the Booted Eagle (which is comparable in size to a Common Buzzard or Red-tailed Hawk), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight. (Despite reduced size in aerodynamic feathers) Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from some vultures. Species named as eagles range in size from the South Nicobar Serpent Eagle, at 500 g (1.1 lb) and 40 cm (16 in), to the 6.7 kg (14.7 lbs) Steller's Sea Eagle and the 100 cm (39 in) Philippine Eagle. Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong muscular legs, and powerful talons. The beak is typically heavier than most other birds of prey. They also have extremely keen eyesight which enables them to spot potential prey from a very long distance.[2] This keen eyesight is primarily contributed by their extremely large pupils which ensure minimal diffraction (scattering) of the incoming light.

Eagles normally build their nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs. Many species lay two eggs, but the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched. The dominant chick tends to be the female, as they are bigger than the male. The parents take no action to stop the killing.[3][4]

Species

Martial Eagle in Namibia.
Thermographic image of an eagle, thermoregulating using its wings.
Philippine Eagle, Pithecophaga jefferyi in Southern Philippines.
Wedge Tailed Eagle in Australia.

Major new research into eagle taxonomy suggests that the important genera Aquila and Hieraaetus are not composed of nearest relatives, and it is likely that a reclassification of these genera will soon take place, with some species being moved to Lophaetus or Ictinaetus.[5]

FAMILY ACCIPITRIDAE

A Steppe Eagle in Lahore Zoo Pakistan.
Short-toed Snake Eagle in flight

Eagles in culture

The word

The modern English name of the bird is derived from the Latin term aquila by way of the French aigle. The Latin aquila may derive from the word aquilus, meaning dark-colored, swarthy, or blackish, as a description of the eagle's plumage; or from aquilo, the Latin version of Greek boreas, or north wind; however, aquilus and aquilo may just as well derive from aquila (or be unrelated) and the latter be of unknown origin.

Old English used the term earn, related to Scandinavia's ørn / örn. The etymology of this word relates it to Greek ornís, meaning "bird", though other Indo-European languages (such as Welsh eryr or Russian orël / орёл) show that the meaning 'eagle' is older. The Greek word may be an old diminutive. The Albanian word for eagle is "shqiponje" deriving from the root "shqipe", which means "eagle".

In Britain before 1678, eagle referred specifically to the Golden Eagle, with the other native species, the White-tailed Eagle, being known as the Erne. The modern name "Golden Eagle" for aquila chrysaetos was introduced by the naturalist John Ray.

Eagles as national symbols

See also: Eagle (heraldry)

Eagles have been used by many nations as a national symbol.

Historic uses:

Religion

The Moche people of ancient Peru worshiped the animal and often depicted eagles in their art.[7]

Despite modern and historic Native American practices of giving eagle feathers to non-indigenous people and also members of other tribes who have been deemed worthy, current United States eagle feather law stipulates that only individuals of certifiable Native American ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers for religious or spiritual reasons.[8] In Canada, poaching of eagle feathers for the booming U.S. market has sometimes resulted in the arrests of First Nations person for the crime.[9]

In Hindu religion, Garuda is a lesser Hindu divinity, usually the mount (vahanam) of Vishnu. Garuda is depicted as having the golden body of a strong man with a white face, red wings, and an eagle's beak and with a crown on his head. This ancient deity was said to be massive, large enough to block out the sun.

The eagle is also the patron animal of Zeus. In particular, Zeus was said to have taken the form of an eagle in order to abduct Ganymede, and there are numerous artistic depictions of the Eagle Zeus bearing Ganymede aloft, from Classical times up to the present (see illustrations in the Ganymede (mythology) page.)

References

  1. ^ del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Sargatal, J. (editors). (1994). Handbook of the Birds of the World Volume 2: New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Lynx Edicions. ISBN 8487334156
  2. ^ Shlaer, Robert (1972-05-26). "An Eagle's Eye: Quality of the Retinal Image". Science 176 (4037): 920–922. doi:10.1126/science.176.4037.920. PMID 5033635. http://www./920?ck=nck. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  3. ^ Grambo, Rebecca L (2003). Eagles. Voyageur Press. p. 32. ISBN 9780896583634. 
  4. ^ Stinson, Christopher H (Dec 1979). "On the Selective Advantage of Fratricide in Raptors". Evolution 33 (4): 1219– 1225. doi:10.2307/2407480. 
  5. ^ Lerner, H. R. L.; D. P. Mindell (2005). "Phylogeny of eagles, Old World vultures, and other Accipitridae based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 37 (2): 327–346. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.04.010. PMID 15925523. 
  6. ^ Bunce, M.; et al. (2005). "Ancient DNA Provides New Insights into the Evolutionary History of New Zealand's Extinct Giant Eagle". PLoS Biol 3 (1): e9. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0030009. PMC 539324. PMID 15660162. http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.0030009. Retrieved 2006-12-27. 
  7. ^ Berrin, Katherine & Larco Museum. The Spirit of Ancient Peru:Treasures from the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1997.
  8. ^ Office of Law Enforcement. "National Eagle Repository". Mountain-Prairie Region. United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Archived from the original on 2007-10-10. http://web.archive.org/web/20071010032432/http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/law/le65.html. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 
  9. ^ Sin, Lena (2006-04-30). "Charges laid in eagle-poaching case". The Province (CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc.). http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=7037508c-70c7-4c47-9d3e-713a118e6b66&k=55151. Retrieved 2007-11-20. 

Further reading

External links

Look up eagle in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Eagles
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Eagle.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Eagles

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Translations:

Eagle

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - ørn, ørnefigur, eagle, gulddollar
v. tr. - spille en golfbold 2 slag under par
v. intr. - score en eagle i golf

idioms:

  • eagle eye    falkeblik

Nederlands (Dutch)
adelaar, leger insigne, tien dollarmunt, golfscore

Français (French)
n. - (Zool) aigle, (Relig) aigle, (Hist, Mil) aigle, (Sport) eagle (golf), (US) pièce de 10 dollars (arch)
v. tr. - (Sport) faire un score avec deux coups (trou de golf)
v. intr. - (Sport) marquer un eagle (golf)

idioms:

  • eagle eye    ¯il de lynx

Deutsch (German)
n. - Adler
v. - (Golf) in zwei Schlägen unter dem Paar spielen, (Golf) einen Eagle schlagen

idioms:

  • eagle eye    Adlerauge

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (ορνιθ., μτφ.) αϊτός

idioms:

  • eagle eye    άγρυπνο μάτι

Italiano (Italian)
aquila

idioms:

  • eagle eye    occhio di aquila

Português (Portuguese)
n. - águia (f) (Zool.), constelação (f) (Astron.)

idioms:

  • eagle eye    olho (m) de lince, vista (f) aguçada

Русский (Russian)
орел, 10-долларовая монета

idioms:

  • eagle eye    острое зрение

Español (Spanish)
n. - águila, figura o representación de un águila, usada como emblema, insignia utilizada por coroneles de la armada norteamericana, antigua moneda estadounidense, equivalente a 10 dólares, que mostraba un águila en una de sus caras
v. tr. - (golf) hacer un águila
v. intr. - (golf) hacer un águila

idioms:

  • eagle eye    vista de lince

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - örn

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
鹰, 鹰状标饰, 高尔夫中比规定少击两棒入洞

idioms:

  • eagle eye    鹰眼, 目光锐力

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 鷹, 鷹狀標飾
v. tr. - 高爾夫中比規定少擊兩棒入洞
v. intr. -

idioms:

  • eagle eye    鷹眼, 目光銳力

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 독수리, 독수리를 그린 군기, 독수리좌
v. tr. - (골프) 이글로 마치다
v. intr. - (골프) 이글로 마치다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - ワシ, ワシ印, イーグル

idioms:

  • eagle eye    鋭い眼力, 眼力の鋭い人

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) نسر‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮נשר, עיט‬
v. tr. - ‮היכה כדור לחור בשתי מכות יותר מהמספר המקובל‬
v. intr. - ‮חבט כדור לחור בשתי חבטות פחות מהמקובל (גולף)‬

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American Heritage Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 1994-2012 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Oxford Dictionary of the US Military. The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. Copyright © 2001, 2002 by Oxford University Press, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture & Construction. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Copyright © James MacKillop 1998, 2004. All rights reserved.  Read more
Columbia Encyclopedia. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/.  Read more
 Oxford Dictionary of British Place Names. © 2003 A.D. Mills Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.  Read more
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Random House Word Menu. © 2010 Write Brothers Inc. Word Menu is a registered trademark of the Estate of Stephen Glazier. Write Brothers Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
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