Science in Practice Portal

An aerial inventory was conducted of golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) nesting and habitat between 1972 and 1974 in Elko County, Nevada. It was found that of the nests surveyed, 90% were on cliffs, 80% were at elevations between 5,000 (1524.4 m) and 6,500 feet (1981.7 m) , less than 15% faced north, and in 1974 (the only year studied), 66% of the nests were on cliffs higher than 25 feet (7.4 m)
.
Three trend study areas were established. The highest ecological nesting density was 15 square miles (38.9 sq km) per nest, which was along an area of suitable nesting cliffs with typical desert riparian habitat. Fluctuations in natality were observed through variations in nesting activity.