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Wedge-tailed EagleAboriginal names: "bilyana", "mullian", "nompie", "woorawa", "wulde", "maliyan" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay] |
Sightings
Wedge-tailed Eagles are quite common in the Narrabri region, in north-western New South Wales. We have seen them, mostly in pairs, a number of times, either perched in treetops or sitting on their prey on the ground. Often seen soaring at great heights. Seen both in the plains and in the slopes of the dividing range.
Seen in various locations on a trip to outback NSW and South Australia in March 2008. Again, found both in hill country and riverina flood plains.
Photos
Lateral view of an immature Wedge-tailed Eagle (click on image for larger version)
Close-up view of an immature Wedge-tailed Eagle with its inner eyelids closed (click on image for larger version)
The same bird as above, now with its eyes open
Wedge-tailed Eagle on a perch
Wedge-tailed Eagle after it got annoyed with the photographer
Soaring Wedge-tailed Eagle (click on photo for larger version)
Wedge-tailed Eagle in flight (click on image to see what it had to put up with) - the little speck is a Willie Wagtail; note that these photos were taken with 15x magnification (f=500 mm)!)
Here a comparison of the wing shape when gliding (left) and soaring (right)
Here one seen from above
There are many who don't want "Wedgies" around - first an Australian Magpie... (click on image for larger version)
...then an Australian Raven (click on image for larger version)
Below a rough estimate of the altitude at which a Wedge-tailed Eagle was observed: Assuming that the airplane was flying at 10000 m altitude (33000 ft), based on its length of 70.6 m and the eagle's length of ca. 1 m, one can estimate from the relative apparent sizes that the eagle was seen at an altitude of roughly 800 m. The uncertainty in the length of the bird and the altitude of the airplane is about ±10%, making the total uncertainty of the bird's altitude about ±20%.
These two photos give an estimate of how high a "Wedgy" can fly; Wedge-tailed Eagle at 15x magnification (left) and, on the same scale, a Boeing 747-400 at cruising altitude (right)
Nest
Wedge-tailed Eagle's nest in the only tree worth its name in an arid part of the Flinders Ranges (click on image for larger version)
Closer view of a different Wedge-tailed Eagle's nest in the the same part of the Flinders Ranges, about 10 km from the one shown above (click on image for larger version)