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What the sources say

Golden EagleAquila chrysaetos

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Golden Eagle profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 35 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Aquila chrysaetos (golden eagle). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysThis is a Holarctic species, spread across the northern continents. Animal Diversity Web lists it throughout Eurasia, in northern Africa, and in the western half of North America from Alaska down to central Mexico, with small numbers in eastern Canada and scattered pairs in the eastern United States
The source saysGolden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) have a Holarctic distribution. They occur throughout Eurasia, in northern Africa, and in North America. In North America, golden eagles are found in the western half of the continent, from Alaska to central Mexico, with small numbers in eastern Canada and scattered pairs in the eastern United States.Note: 'spread across the northern continents' glosses Holarctic; ADW's Biogeographic Regions list nearctic and palearctic
The page saysIt lives in open and semi-open country from sea level up to 3,600 meters, including tundra, shrubland, grassland, and coniferous forest, and most golden eagles are found in mountainous areas
The source saysGolden eagles are found in open and semi-open habitats from sea level to 3600 m elevation. Habitat types that they inhabit include tundra, shrublands, grasslands, woodland-brushlands, and coniferous forests. Most golden eagles are found in mountainous areas
The page saysRabbits, hares, ground squirrels, and marmots are the primary diet, rounded out with birds and reptiles, and occasionally a coyote or badger
The source saysThe diet of golden eagles is composed primarily of small mammals such as rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and marmots. They also eat birds, reptiles and fish in smaller numbers. Golden eagles occasionally capture large prey, including seals (Phocoidea), ungulates, coyotes and badgers.
The page saysRabbits, hares, ground squirrels, and marmots as the primary diet, plus birds, reptiles, carrion when live prey is scarce, and occasionally a coyote, badger, or deer
The source saysThe diet of golden eagles is composed primarily of small mammals such as rabbits, hares, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, and marmots. They also eat birds, reptiles and fish in smaller numbers. Golden eagles occasionally capture large prey, including seals (Phocoidea), ungulates, coyotes and badgers.Note: stats.diet; deer and carrion come from sdz-golden-eagle's prey list, same facts as the body claim above
The page saysOpen and semi-open, mostly mountainous country from sea level to 3,600 meters, including tundra, shrubland and grassland, across the Holarctic: Eurasia, northern Africa, and western North America from Alaska to central Mexico
The source saysGolden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) have a Holarctic distribution. They occur throughout Eurasia, in northern Africa, and in North America. In North America, golden eagles are found in the western half of the continent, from Alaska to central Mexico ... Golden eagles are found in open and semi-open habitats from sea level to 3600 m elevation. Habitat types that they inhabit include tundra, shrublands, grasslands, woodland-brushlands, and coniferous forests. Most golden eagles are found in mountainous areasNote: stats.habitat; Geographic Range then Habitat, in the order they appear on the adw-golden-eagle page
The page saysThe largest nest on record, according to Animal Diversity Web, measured 6.1 meters tall and 2.59 meters wide
The source saysThe largest nest on record measured 6.1 m tall and 2.59 m wide.
The page saysThe female usually lays two eggs, three to four days apart
The source saysThe female lays 1 to 4 (usually 2) eggs, with 3 to 4 day intervals between each egg.
The page saysThe chicks hatch several days apart
The source saysThe young hatch several days apart, and are altricial.
The page saysIn the western United States a pair's breeding-season home range covers 20 to 33 square kilometers, and the pair defends its boundaries with flight displays
The source saysDuring the breeding season, golden eagles in the western U.S. have home ranges from 20 to 33 square kilometers. Breeding pairs defend the boundaries of their home range with flight displays.
The page saysGolden eagles have few recorded predators: wolverines and grizzly bears are the only recorded predators of their nestlings
The source saysGolden eagles have few predators. There is no record of predation of golden eagle eggs, and few records of adult or nestling predation. Wolverines and grizzly bears are the only recorded predators of golden eagle nestlings.

Source
02

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Golden Eagle. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The page saysA hunter with a wingspan of up to 2.3 meters that dives at up to 120 mph (193 km/h)
The source saysWingspan: 6.2 to 7.4 feet (1.9 to 2.3 meters) ... Golden eagles can reach speeds of up to 120 miles (193 kilometers) per hour during a dive, in play or after prey.Note: tagline; Size then Fun Facts, in the order they appear on the sdz-golden-eagle page
The page saysstands 75 to 90 centimeters tall (2.5 to 3 feet)
The source saysHeight: 2.5 to 3 feet (75 to 90 centimeters)
The page saysa wingspan that stretches 1.9 to 2.3 meters (6.2 to 7.4 feet) tip to tip
The source saysWingspan: 6.2 to 7.4 feet (1.9 to 2.3 meters)
The page saysfemales 3.6 to 6.6 kilograms and males 2.8 to 4.5 kilograms
The source saysWeight: Females, 7.9 to 14.5 pounds (3.6 to 6.6 kilograms); males, 6.2 to 9.9 pounds (2.8 to 4.5 kilograms)
The page saysA wild golden eagle can live up to 38 years, and up to 50 in expert care
The source saysUp to 38 years in the wilderness; up to 50 years in expert care
The page saysIt can hit up to 120 miles per hour (193 km/h) in a dive, in play or after prey
The source saysGolden eagles can reach speeds of up to 120 miles (193 kilometers) per hour during a dive, in play or after prey.
The page saysGolden eagles often hunt in pairs: one eagle drives the prey toward its waiting partner. The talons, the claws on the feet, kill and carry the prey, and the beak is only for eating
The source saysThey often work in pairs while hunting: one eagle drives the prey to its waiting partner. The talons on their feet kill and carry the prey, while the beak is only for eating.Note: 'the claws on its feet' defines talon for the young-reader audience
The page saysSan Diego Zoo adds that it sometimes takes deer, and it may eat carrion when live prey is scarce
The source saysPrey includes marmots, hares, mice, and sometimes slow-flying birds, martens, foxes, and even deer. They may also eat carrion if live prey is scarce.
The page saysA dive of up to 120 mph (193 km/h)
The source saysGolden eagles can reach speeds of up to 120 miles (193 kilometers) per hour during a dive, in play or after prey.Note: stats.superpower, dive-speed clause
The page saysa hunting style that often has one eagle drive prey toward its waiting partner
The source saysThey often work in pairs while hunting: one eagle drives the prey to its waiting partner.Note: stats.superpower, hunting-style clause
The page saysA golden eagle pair mates for life and builds several nests within its territory over the years, adding material every year so each one gets bigger and bigger
The source saysA golden eagle pair stays together for life, building several nests in their territory over the years. Each nest is made out of heavy tree branches and grass, and built on a cliff face or in a tree. The eagles add more material to the nest each year, so it gets bigger and bigger.
The page saysincubation lasts 41 to 45 days
The source saysIncubation period: 41 to 45 daysNote: SDZ's current figure replaces ADW's older 35 to 45 days
The page saysThe chicks hatch several days apart, and the oldest often attacks its younger sibling and sometimes kills it
The source saysThe oldest chick often attacks and sometimes even kills its younger sibling.Note: hatching interval from adw-golden-eagle ('The young hatch several days apart'); the kill rate follows SDZ's current page, which hedges ADW's 'often kill' to 'sometimes'
The page saysSan Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance says a golden eagle can reach up to 120 miles per hour (193 km/h) in a dive, whether it's chasing prey or just playing
The source saysGolden eagles can reach speeds of up to 120 miles (193 kilometers) per hour during a dive, in play or after prey.Note: FAQ 1
The page saysdives at up to 120 mph (193 km/h)
The source saysGolden eagles can reach speeds of up to 120 miles (193 kilometers) per hour during a dive, in play or after prey.Note: vibe.reason, settled in #913
The page saysdangerLevel: Medium
The source saysThe talons on their feet kill and carry the prey, while the beak is only for eating. Prey includes marmots, hares, mice, and sometimes slow-flying birds, martens, foxes, and even deer.Note: #913: kept; talons that kill a fox or a deer can injure a person, and no source reports a serious injury

Source
03

Westrip et al. 2022

Westrip et al. (2022). Aquila chrysaetos. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022: e.T22696060A210501592.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: stats.conservationStatus; category read through GBIF's copy of the Red List, per docs/fact-check.md, since iucnredlist.org refuses scripts

Source
04

Bohrer et al. 2011

Bohrer et al. (2011). Estimating updraft velocity components over large spatial scales: contrasting migration strategies of golden eagles and turkey vultures. Ecology Letters.

The page sayson autumn migration across eastern North America, rides mostly on wind pushed up by ridges
The source saysduring autumn migration across eastern North America tracked using GPS tags ... golden eagles primarily use orographic lift during migrationNote: tagline; 'mostly' is the source's 'primarily'; 'wind pushed up by ridges' glosses orographic lift; scoped to the study's autumn migration
The page saysA GPS-tracking study followed golden eagles and turkey vultures during autumn migration across eastern North America to compare how each species used them
The source saysWe apply these methods to contrast flight strategies of two morphologically similar but behaviourally different species: golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, and turkey vulture, Cathartes aura, during autumn migration across eastern North America tracked using GPS tags
The page saysThe migrations of soaring birds are shaped by weather that produces two kinds of uplift: thermal lift from rising warm air, and orographic lift from wind forced upward by the landscape
The source saysSoaring birds migrate in massive numbers worldwide. These migrations are complex and dynamic phenomena, strongly influenced by meteorological conditions that produce thermal and orographic uplift as the birds traverse the landscape.Note: the glosses on each lift type are definitions
The page saysTurkey vultures nearly exclusively used thermal lift, while golden eagles primarily used orographic lift, the wind pushed upward as it hits a mountain ridge
The source saysWe show that turkey vultures nearly exclusively used thermal lift, whereas golden eagles primarily use orographic lift during migration.Note: the gloss on orographic lift is a definition, not a finding
The page saysOver eastern North America in autumn, mostly not. Researchers put GPS tags on both species there and found the vultures used rising warm air nearly exclusively, while the eagles primarily got their lift from wind deflected upward off mountain ridges
The source saysduring autumn migration across eastern North America tracked using GPS tags ... turkey vultures nearly exclusively used thermal lift, whereas golden eagles primarily use orographic lift during migrationNote: FAQ 2
The page saystracked on autumn migration, rode mostly on wind pushed up by ridges
The source saysduring autumn migration across eastern North America tracked using GPS tags ... golden eagles primarily use orographic lift during migrationNote: vibe.reason, settled in #913; 'mostly' is the source's 'primarily'

Source
05

Ecke et al. 2017

Ecke et al. (2017). Sublethal Lead Exposure Alters Movement Behavior in Free-Ranging Golden Eagles. Environmental Science & Technology.

The page saysA serious threat is lead from hunting ammunition. A tracking study found that even sublethal lead levels in scavenging golden eagles' blood can likely harm how high they fly and how fast they move, and lead levels in the livers of dead eagles suggested that such exposure raises the risk of dying
The source saysLead poisoning of animals due to ingestion of fragments from lead-based ammunition in carcasses and offal of shot wildlife ... we found that even sublethal lead concentrations in blood (25 ppb, wet weight), can likely negatively affect movement behavior (flight height and movement rate) of free-ranging scavenging Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). Lead levels in liver of recovered post-mortem analyzed eagles suggested that sublethal exposure increases the risk of mortality in eagles.
The page saysLead from hunting ammunition. Eagles that scavenge the carcasses and offal of shot animals swallow fragments of lead ammunition. The study that tracked them found that blood lead levels as low as 25 parts per billion can likely affect how high they fly and how fast they move, and its authors call lead a considerably more serious threat to wildlife conservation than previously realized
The source saysLead poisoning of animals due to ingestion of fragments from lead-based ammunition in carcasses and offal of shot wildlife ... we found that even sublethal lead concentrations in blood (25 ppb, wet weight), can likely negatively affect movement behavior (flight height and movement rate) of free-ranging scavenging Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). ... Our study highlights lead exposure as a considerably more serious threat to wildlife conservation than previously realizedNote: 25 parts per billion, from 25 ppb; 'swallow fragments' from 'ingestion of fragments'

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.