{"id":100203,"date":"2022-02-25T05:53:15","date_gmt":"2022-02-25T12:53:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=100203"},"modified":"2022-02-25T05:59:14","modified_gmt":"2022-02-25T12:59:14","slug":"the-golden-eagle-utahs-official-state-bird-of-prey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/02\/25\/the-golden-eagle-utahs-official-state-bird-of-prey\/","title":{"rendered":"The Golden Eagle – Utah’s Official State Bird Of Prey"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CloseClose up Golden Eagle in flight \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 500, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

This morning I would like to celebrate the State of Utah’s newly designated official state bird of prey, the Golden Eagle. Utah is the third state in the nation to designate a state raptor. Idaho designated the Peregrine Falcon as their state bird of prey and New Hampshire selected the Red-tailed Hawk as theirs.<\/p>\n

I am fortunate to have seen Golden Eagles on two continents, North America and in Europe. When I lived in Germany I mostly saw Golden Eagles way out in farmer’s fields. Here in Utah I see them in deserts, sagebrush steppes, grasslands and up in the mountains.<\/p>\n

I’m always looking for Golden Eagles when I am out in the field photographing birds. Even though I have taken hundreds of photos of Golden Eagles they are still somewhat of a nemesis bird for me. That basically means I don’t have as many high quality photos of them as I would like to have.<\/p>\n

\"ImmatureImmature Golden Eagle flying over a desert \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 400, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

When I first moved to Utah I saw more Golden Eagles than I see now. Golden Eagles here may be struggling due to habitat destruction, human developments which can have a cascading effect on their prey base, wildfires, and nest destruction. In addition to habitat changes and prey availability Golden Eagles, like other raptors, can acquire lead poisoning from shell fragments<\/span><\/a> when they scavenge carcasses and gut piles left by hunters.<\/p>\n

Golden Eagles are year round residents in Utah and migratory Golden Eagles overwinter here. Golden Eagles nest early and they may already be incubating eggs at this time of the year in Utah.<\/p>\n

Selecting the Golden Eagle as Utah’s official state bird of prey, in my opinion, was a great step forward. I hope that this designation will help more Utahns understand that we need to protect these powerful, feathered apex predators.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Golden Eagle photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This morning I would like to celebrate the State of Utah’s newly designated official state bird of prey, the Golden Eagle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":100197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[124,27,1148,1200,26],"tags":[4345,2663,4142,4098,3903,3133,12753,4052,4122,1201,4067,153,4018,12754,373,4193],"class_list":["post-100203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-golden-eagles","category-utah","tag-aquila-chrysaetos","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-close-up","tag-desert","tag-eagle","tag-eagles","tag-eagles-of-utah","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-golden-eagle","tag-immature","tag-raptors","tag-sky","tag-utah-state-bird-of-prey","tag-winter","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/golden-eagle-flight-close-up-mia-mcpherson-9218.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-q4b","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":107450,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/10\/22\/golden-eagle-rising-above-a-ridge\/","url_meta":{"origin":100203,"position":0},"title":"Golden Eagle Rising Above A Ridge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 22, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I'm sharing a photo of a gorgeous adult Golden Eagle that I took just as it was taking off from a ridge, shortly after I found it.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Golden Eagle rising above a ridge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/golden-eagle-adult-lifting-off-mia-mcpherson-2589.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/golden-eagle-adult-lifting-off-mia-mcpherson-2589.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Golden Eagles on Lady Finger Point at Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/golden-eagle-pair-mia-mcpherson-7688.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/golden-eagle-pair-mia-mcpherson-7688.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/golden-eagle-pair-mia-mcpherson-7688.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/golden-eagle-pair-mia-mcpherson-7688.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4717,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/04\/03\/almost-golden-eagle-in-flight\/","url_meta":{"origin":100203,"position":2},"title":"Almost – Golden Eagle In Flight","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 3, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) have thus far been a nemesis bird for me and when I spotted one yesterday I thought I might finally get the shots I have long wanted.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Golden Eagle in flight over Antelope Island SP, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/golden-eagle-utah-mia-mcpherson-1234.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/golden-eagle-utah-mia-mcpherson-1234.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/golden-eagle-utah-mia-mcpherson-1234.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/golden-eagle-utah-mia-mcpherson-1234.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7113,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/01\/13\/a-golden-eagle-that-was-too-close\/","url_meta":{"origin":100203,"position":3},"title":"A Golden Eagle that was TOO close","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 13, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Early yesterday morning Antelope Island State Park did not have the best conditions for bird photography, there were clouds, a bit of lake fog and low light so when I spotted this Golden Eagle perched on a sagebrush in those conditions I was dismayed.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State 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