Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Wedge-tailed Eagle
Aquila audax
Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) — Birds of Prey of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 3.4 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Aquila
- Species audax
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3.4 kg
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Wedge-tailed Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense woodland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) belongs to the Accipitridae family of the order Accipitriformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU sc New Guinea, Australia and Tasmania.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 3.4 kg, with a wing length of about 61.8 cm and a tail of around 38.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Wedge-tailed Eagle?
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is a very large bird that weighs around 3.4 kg.
Where does the Wedge-tailed Eagle live?
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU sc New Guinea, Australia and Tasmania, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Wedge-tailed Eagle belong to?
The Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Wedge-tailed Eagle eat?
The Wedge-tailed Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Wedge-tailed Eagle migrate?
The Wedge-tailed Eagle is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Wedge-tailed Eagle endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Wedge-tailed Eagle make?
1 real field recording of the Wedge-tailed Eagle — including its begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Wedge-tailed Eagle's range?
The Wedge-tailed Eagle has a mapped global range of about 7.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.