Golden eagles are powerful birds of prey found across the Northern Hemisphere. While they are apex predators with diverse hunting capabilities, foxes are not their primary food source. However, golden eagles do occasionally prey on foxes.
The Golden Eagle’s Typical Diet
Golden eagles primarily consume a carnivorous diet, with mammals forming the largest portion of their meals. Their diet often includes medium-sized mammals such as rabbits, hares, and various ground squirrels like marmots and prairie dogs. For instance, leporids (rabbits and hares) can comprise about 32% of their known prey.
Beyond mammals, golden eagles also hunt a variety of birds, making up approximately 26% of their diet. Game birds are frequently targeted, and they have been known to prey on other raptors. Reptiles, fish, and large insects are occasionally consumed, though they constitute a much smaller percentage of their overall intake. These eagles are opportunistic hunters, adapting their diet to the most abundant local species.
Foxes in the Golden Eagle Diet
While not a daily occurrence, foxes do appear in the golden eagle’s diet. Predation on foxes is relatively rare for adults but becomes more common for fox kits or vulnerable adult foxes. Golden eagles have been observed hunting various fox species, including Corsac, Kit, Swift, Gray, Island, and Arctic foxes. Red foxes, which coexist with golden eagles across much of their ranges, are also occasionally hunted.
In some locations, foxes can become a significant part of the eagles’ diet. For example, one nest in Mongolia showed Corsac foxes making up 38% of sampled prey remains. Such predation often occurs when preferred prey is scarce or during an opportunistic encounter. Cooperative hunting, where one eagle distracts the prey while another attacks, is also employed for larger animals like foxes.
Hunting Prowess and Adaptations
Golden eagles possess physical attributes and hunting strategies that enable them to capture prey as substantial as foxes. These raptors are large, typically measuring 26 to 40 inches in length with wingspans ranging from 5 feet 11 inches to 7 feet 8 inches. Their powerful talons are their primary tools for subduing prey, capable of exerting pressure of over 400 pounds per square inch (psi), sometimes reaching up to 750 psi in larger females. This force can be 15 times stronger than a human hand’s grip.
Their eyesight is another adaptation, allowing them to spot prey from over two miles away. This keen vision, estimated to be four to eight times better than human vision, is due to a high concentration of light-detecting cells in their retinas. Once prey is sighted, golden eagles employ a rapid, steep dive known as a “stoop,” which can reach speeds of 150 to 200 miles per hour. This combination of size, strength, acute senses, and speed makes the golden eagle an efficient and powerful hunter.