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Message: <blockquote data-quote="John Dracon" data-source="post: 1386603" data-attributes="member: 14799">Bob - I know that sounds like a tall tale from Montana.  We have a bird book that lists the golden eagle's length from 30 to 40 inches, page 56 - Montana Birds by Putnam and Kennedy.  That is a seven inch variation in length from Wheeler's 33 inches.  Bald eagles are listed from 30 to 43 inches, page 50 in Montana Birds.  I have no idea where the data on size comes from.  It seemed to me at the time it was an extraordinarily large eagle.  The golden eagles in this area give the appearance of being larger than the bald eagles, but the two species are not seen side by side so visual comparisons can't be made, and that may not be accurate.  The bird I referenced may have been a freak of nature as is a person over eight feet tall.  Certainly, I have never seen a golden eagle nearly that size ever again.  But Wheeler's size description is a little bit on the small size.in my judgment.  Regional variations undoubtedly exist due to genetics and food availability.  Here in Montana we have had a series of warm winters. (not this winter) Geese and ducks by the thousands which used to fly south will spend the winter in parts of Montana in the proximity of wheat and barley fields if nearby rivers have any open water  Even small streams gomg through towns will have resident ducks and geese that have become a nuisance. The deer and antelope populations are increasing. That plus the thousands of road kills of deer along the highways have created a ready food source for eagles.  Destructive pesticides are no longer used here, and of course eagles are completely protected.  I haven't seen an eagle count recently, but the birds are doing very well.Today I watched a herd of over 150 antelope feeding on nearby slopes.  A bald eagle perched on an abandoned beaver slide hay stacker a third of a mile away, while in a nearby stream mallards paddled around feeding.  Right now this is a naturalist's paradise.John</blockquote>

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