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Golden Eagle: From Aztec Legend to the Steppes of Kazakhstan
Across empires and mountains, the Golden Eagle reigns.
© Jan Rose
The Golden Eagle is a bird of epic proportions not only for their impressive size but also for the many legends they’ve inspired across human history. They are one of the largest eagles in the world with a wingspan of more than seven feet. When the Aztecs saw a Golden Eagle devouring a serpent atop a cactus, they knew they had found their promised land. Today, that powerful raptor graces Mexico’s national shield. In fact, the Golden Eagle appears on the flags and emblems of several countries including Kazakhstan, where nomadic hunters have practiced an ancient form of falconry with Golden Eagles for thousands of years.
BirdNote®
Golden Eagle: From Aztec Legend to the Steppes of Kazakhstan
Written by Lucina Melesio
This is BirdNote.
[Golden Eagle calls]
The Golden Eagle is a bird of epic proportions not only for their impressive size but also for the many legends they’ve inspired across human history.
[Golden Eagle calls]
They are one of the largest eagles in the world with a wingspan of more than 7 feet. Though mostly dark brown, they are named for the golden feathers on their heads and necks that shine in the sunlight. Golden Eagles mate for life and can live to be more than 30 years old.
[Golden Eagle flying calls]
These are fierce and agile hunters, with talons strong enough to break bones. They've been known to defend their cliffside nests against coyotes and even bears, and can take down prey as large as deer or livestock.
[Golden Eagle call]
For thousands of years, the Kazakh peoples of central Asia have trained female Golden Eagles — who are larger than males — to catch foxes for their winter furs. This ancient form of falconry is so central to Kazakh culture that the Golden Eagle is the official national animal of Kazakhstan.
[Golden Eagle call]
In fact, the Golden Eagle appears on the flags and emblems of several countries including Mexico. It’s said that when the Aztecs searched for a place to start their empire, the god Huitzilopochtli told them to look for a Golden Eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus, devouring a serpent. Legend says they found it in the middle of a lake where they built a floating metropolis that would become Mexico City.
Learn more about Golden Eagles and the stories they inspire at our website, BirdNote.org. I’m Lucina Melesio.
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Senior Producer: Mark Bramhill
Producer: Sam Johnson
Producer: Kizaya Studios
Managing Editor: Jazzi Johnson
Managing Producer: Ariana Remmel
Content Director: Jonese Franklin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Golden Eagle calls, ML57165 recorded by Kathy Groschupf; Golden Eagle calls, ML368322581 recorded by Rose Ann Rowlett; Golden Eagle flying calls, ML331746111 recorded by JoAnn Potter Riggle; Golden Eagle call, ML330844131 recorded by Steven Hunter; Golden Eagle call, ML611878826 recorded by Hans Norelius.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2025 BirdNote December 2025
Narrator: Lucina Melesio
ID# GOEA-04-2025-12-30 GOEA-04
Lucina Melesio
Writer Narrator
Kizaya
ProducerSights & Sounds
