This genus represents the piscivorous (fish-eating) eagles, with unfeathered lower legs and rough-soled feet for gripping slippery prey. The most famous member is the ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ), but the genus includes:
Birds within the eagle genus are distinguished by their heavy heads, broad wings, and strong, muscular legs. They possess exceptionally keen eyesight, allowing them to spot potential prey from great distances. Unlike other raptors, eagles tend to have larger, more robust beaks and build massive nests, known as eyries, usually in high locations like cliffs or tall trees. eagle genus
Three monotypic or near-monotypic genera contain the most formidable eagles: Unlike other raptors, eagles tend to have larger,
Molecular phylogenies suggest that the eagle lineage split from other accipitrids around 35–40 million years ago in the Oligocene, likely in Eurasia. The split between Aquila and Haliaeetus occurred about 20 million years ago, correlating with the spread of open grasslands (favoring Aquila ) and the formation of large inland seas and coastal zones (favoring Haliaeetus ). The giant forest eagles of the tropics ( Harpia , Stephanoaetus ) evolved separately from Spizaetus -like ancestors during the Miocene, adapting to large-bodied arboreal prey. The giant forest eagles of the tropics (
Despite being spread across genera, eagles share a set of convergent traits that distinguish them from other raptors (e.g., falcons, vultures, buzzards):