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Golden Eagle "Aquila chrysaetos".
More recently these majestic birds, with their seven foot wing span, are gradually returning to their favoured habitat, the Scottish Highlands. Mostly due to the vigilance of conservation groups endeavoring to save these endangered species. Golden Eagles normally lay two eggs per year and with more stringent laws on "egg snatching" their survival rate is on the increase. Incubation of the eggs is mostly done by the female and after forty five days incubation the first egg is hatched. The survival rate of the second egg is not very high, but this is mainly due to the first, stronger chick, pushing the chick out of the nest. Food for these birds consists of young fawn, young sheep, Blue Mountain hare, grouse and rabbit which is captured by the bird swooping down on their prey at speeds of over 100 mph. The life span of this species is know to be up to sixty years if bred under licence in captivity, whereas in the wild, still under the threat of human destruction, their survival is certainly still in jeopardy.
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