What is "golden eagle"

Golden \Gold"en\ (g[=o]ld"'n), a. [OE. golden; cf. OE. gulden, AS. gylden, from gold. See Gold, and cf. Guilder.]

1. Made of gold; consisting of gold.

2. Having the color of gold; as, the golden grain.

3. Very precious; highly valuable; excellent; eminently auspicious; as, golden opinions. Golden age.

   1. The fabulous age of primeval simplicity and purity of manners in rural employments, followed by the silver age, bronze age, and iron age.
      --Dryden.

   2. (Roman Literature) The best part (B. C. 81 -- A. D. 14) of the classical period of Latinity; the time when Cicero, C[ae]sar, Virgil, etc., wrote. Hence:

   3. That period in the history of a literature, etc., when it flourishes in its greatest purity or attains its greatest glory; as, the Elizabethan age has been considered the golden age of English literature. Golden balls, three gilt balls used as a sign of a pawnbroker's office or shop; -- originally taken from the coat of arms of Lombardy, the first money lenders in London having been Lombards. Golden bull. See under Bull, an edict. Golden chain (Bot.), the shrub Cytisus Laburnum, so named from its long clusters of yellow blossoms. Golden club (Bot.), an aquatic plant ( Orontium aquaticum), bearing a thick spike of minute yellow flowers. Golden cup (Bot.), the buttercup. Golden eagle (Zo["o]l.), a large and powerful eagle ( Aquila Chrysa["e]tos) inhabiting Europe, Asia, and North America. It is so called from the brownish yellow tips of the feathers on the head and neck. A dark variety is called the royal eagle; the young in the second year is the ring-tailed eagle. Golden fleece.

      1. (Mythol.) The fleece of gold fabled to have been taken from the ram that bore Phryxus through the air to Colchis, and in quest of which Jason undertook the Argonautic expedition.

      2. (Her.) An order of knighthood instituted in 1429 by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy; -- called also Toison d'Or. Golden grease, a bribe; a fee. [Slang] Golden hair (Bot.), a South African shrubby composite plant with golden yellow flowers, the Chrysocoma Coma-aurea. Golden Horde (Hist.), a tribe of Mongolian Tartars who overran and settled in Southern Russia early in the 18th century. Golden Legend, a hagiology (the ``Aurea Legenda'') written by James de Voragine, Archbishop of Genoa, in the 13th century, translated and printed by Caxton in 1483, and partially paraphrased by Longfellow in a poem thus entitled. Golden marcasite tin. [Obs.] Golden mean, the way of wisdom and safety between extremes; sufficiency without excess; moderation. Angels guard him in the golden mean. --Pope. Golden mole (Zo["o]l), one of several South African Insectivora of the family Chrysochlorid[ae], resembling moles in form and habits. The fur is tinted with green, purple, and gold. Golden number (Chronol.), a number showing the year of the lunar or Metonic cycle. It is reckoned from 1 to 19, and is so called from having formerly been written in the calendar in gold. Golden oriole. (Zo["o]l.) See Oriole. Golden pheasant. See under Pheasant. Golden pippin, a kind of apple, of a bright yellow color. Golden plover (Zo["o]l.), one of several species of plovers, of the genus Charadrius, esp. the European ( Charadrius apricarius, syn. Charadrius pluvialis; -- called also yellow plover, black-breasted plover, hill plover, and whistling plover. The common American species ( Charadrius dominicus) is also called frostbird, and bullhead. Golden robin. (Zo["o]l.) See Baltimore oriole, in Vocab. Golden rose (R. C. Ch.), a gold or gilded rose blessed by the pope on the fourth Sunday in Lent, and sent to some church or person in recognition of special services rendered to the Holy See. Golden rule.

         1. The rule of doing as we would have others do to us. Cf.
            --Luke vi. 31.

         2. The rule of proportion, or rule of three.

            Golden samphire (Bot.), a composite plant ( Inula crithmoides), found on the seashore of Europe.

            Golden saxifrage (Bot.), a low herb with yellow flowers ( Chrysosplenium oppositifolium), blossoming in wet places in early spring.

            Golden seal (Bot.), a perennial ranunculaceous herb ( Hydrastis Canadensis), with a thick knotted rootstock and large rounded leaves.

            Golden sulphide of antimony, or Golden sulphuret of antimony (Chem.), the pentasulphide of antimony, a golden or orange yellow powder.

            Golden warbler (Zo["o]l.), a common American wood warbler ( Dendroica [ae]stiva); -- called also blue-eyed yellow warbler, garden warbler, and summer yellow bird.

            Golden wasp (Zo["o]l.), a bright-colored hymenopterous insect, of the family Chrysidid[ae]. The colors are golden, blue, and green.

            Golden wedding. See under Wedding.

n. A large bird of prey, ''Aquila chrysaetos'', that hunts while soaring.

n. large eagle of mountainous regions of the northern hemisphere having a golden-brown head and neck [syn: Aquila chrysaetos]

The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is one of the best-known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their napes. Immature eagles of this species typically have white on the tail and often have white markings on the wings. Golden eagles use their agility and speed combined with powerful feet and massive, sharp talons to snatch up a variety of prey (mainly hares, rabbits, marmots and other ground squirrels).

Golden eagles maintain home ranges or territories that may be as large as . They build large nests in high places (mainly cliffs) to which they may return for several breeding years. Most breeding activities take place in the spring; they are monogamous and may remain together for several years or possibly for life. Females lay up to four eggs, and then incubate them for six weeks. Typically, one or two young survive to fledge in about three months. These juvenile golden eagles usually attain full independence in the fall, after which they wander widely until establishing a territory for themselves in four to five years.

Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many areas which are now more heavily populated by humans. Despite being extirpated from or uncommon in some of its former range, the species is still fairly ubiquitous, being present in sizeable stretches of Eurasia, North America, and parts of North Africa. It is the largest and least populous of the five species of true accipitrid to occur as a breeding species in both the Palearctic and the Nearctic.

For centuries, this species has been one of the most highly regarded birds used in falconry, with the Eurasian subspecies having been used to hunt and kill prey such as gray wolves (Canis lupus) in some native communities. Due to its hunting prowess, the golden eagle is regarded with great mystic reverence in some ancient, tribal cultures. The golden eagle is one of the most extensively studied species of raptor in the world in some parts of its range, such as the Western United States and the Western Palearctic.

Golden Eagle is the name of two fictional characters published by DC Comics. The first Golden Eagle was introduced in Justice League of America (vol. 1) #116 (March 1975), and was created by Cary Bates and Dick Dillin. He joined Titans West in Teen Titans (vol. 1) #50 (October 1977).

The second Golden Eagle is a member of the Aryan Brigade introduced in Justice League Task Force #10 (March 1994).

The golden eagle is a large bird of prey.

Golden Eagle or golden eagle may also refer to: