Great Glider

Eagles have very long, large wings, a short neck, and legs short enough to tuck into their belly feathers while aloft, except when they're fishing. Their wings are long and wide enough to carry their own body weight plus the weight of most of the fish that they carry.

It takes a lot of energy to flap such large wings, just like it's a lot of work running with a large kite until it takes off! Two scientists who studied eagles, Jon. M. Gerrard and Gary R. Bortolotti, write that "Eagles are capable of sustained flapping flight but they usually spend little time doing it. During the month when Cindy (one of the female eagles they studied) was observed intensively, she averaged less than 2 minutes per hour in flapping flight. That is not surprising when one considers the large expenditure of energy required by the pectoral and supracoracoid muscles to power the huge wings. The energy needed to maintain a bird in flat soaring or gliding flight is much less, perhaps a 20th or less the power needed for flapping. Therefore, eagles will always choose to soar or glide when possible."

While sitting in my backyard I noticed an eagle flying off in the distance. It was just a tiny speck in the sky, but I noticed the bright white head and tail. I grabbed my camera just in case it came my way. The eagle was high in the air, but started flying toward me. What had to be from nearly a half mile away, this beautiful raptor glided it’s way by my house. With its wings spread out, and not flapping I was impressed by the distance it covered with little energy used. 

Eagles have always been one of my favorite animals and the more I observe and learn about them, the more respect I have for this great creature.

Location: Erie, Colorado