Meet the Bird That Can Fly As Fast a Mustang

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The speed of animals is something that has always amazed us here at A-Z Animals. It’s easy to be shocked by the size, strength, and power that animals possess when looking at them in the wild. However, speed only maximizes their ability to be fierce hunters and smart prey. 

When we think of animals who can run fast, we often think of the white-tailed deer that can run up to 30 miles per hour, the king of the jungle that can run short bursts of 50 miles per hour, and then of course the fastest land animal the cheetah running up to 70 miles per hour. As impressive as these numbers are, they are nothing in comparison to how fast this bird can fly in the video above. 

Golden Eagle Hunting For Food

The YouTube video clip shown at the top takes us to the mountains. A golden eagle was filmed hunting for food. The Predator Wild YouTube page filmed, narrated, and then shared this video on their platform. This channel consistently shares educational content on animals such as snakes, gorillas, dolphins, elephants, and tigers. 

How Fast Can Golden Eagles Fly?

At the start of the video clip, we get to see several different angles and shots of the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) in the mountains. This animal is known worldwide in places such as Africa, Asia, Eurasia, Europe, and North America.

Throughout the video, we will hear the term “raptor” being used to describe the golden eagle. This means that it is a bird of prey. 

We quickly see the precision the golden eagles use to swoop down and grab their prey before they even have a chance to react. According to the US Forest Service, “Golden eagles can dive at speeds well over 150 mph and possess the strongest grip of any raptor in the Forest.” 

We often talk about the bite force of powerful animals. But, with birds, we discuss their grip. The golden eagle’s talons can grip up to 1,200 pounds per square inch (PSI), according to the US Forest Service. This grip is even stronger than a lion’s bite force of only 650 PSI! 

What Do Golden Eagles Eat?

Don’t let the size of the golden eagle fool you. They may only weigh a little over 15 pounds and reach up to three feet in length, but they can pack quite a punch when it comes to hunting prey. Golden eagles are carnivore eaters who are not satisfied with the worms we might think they would eat.

Their main source of prey is mammals such as jackrabbits, mice, and prairie dogs. But, they won’t just stop there, they will also eat reptiles as well. As we can tell from the above video, the golden eagle’s speed makes him a very successful hunter.