Golden eagles are named after the patch of golden-coloured feathers on the back of their necks. Otherwise they are mostly dark brown. Their wings are huge but their bodies are quite light - only around 4 to 5 kilograms - so they can ride on warm currents of air and stay up in the sky for hours without flapping.
An eagle's eyesight is about 4 to 8 times sharper than yours. They have an extra layer in their eye that magnifies what they look at, like built-in binoculars. From their soaring height they can see a mouse-sized animal moving in the grass two kilometres below.
When they spot food they fold their wings and dive. A golden eagle's dive can reach 240 km/h - the same as a high-speed train. They snatch up rabbits, marmots and other small mountain animals with their strong feet, which are tipped with long, curved claws called talons.
Golden eagle parents stay together for life. They build huge nests on cliff ledges, often using the same nest year after year and adding fresh sticks each spring. Some old eagle nests are as wide as a small car. The chicks stay with their parents for several months, learning how to hunt before flying off on their own.