The wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax) is a bird of the family Accipitridae, in the order Accipitriformes.
Quick answer
The wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax) is Australia's largest bird of prey, with a wingspan of 1.8–2.5 m and a long, diamond-shaped tail. Adults are dark brown to almost black. It lives across mainland Australia, Tasmania and southern New Guinea, hunting rabbits, wallabies and other animals and eating carrion. It is listed as Least Concern, though the Tasmanian subspecies is much rarer.
Top questions about the Wedge-tailed Eagle
Wedge-tailed Eagle facts at a glance
- Weight 3.4 kg
- Length 1.1 m
| Scientific name | Aquila audax |
|---|---|
| Diet | Rabbits, wallabies, birds, reptiles and carrion |
| Habitat | Most open and wooded country, from deserts to mountains |
| Size | Wingspan 1.8–2.5 m |
| Weight | 2.5–5.3 kg |
| Lifespan | Banded wild bird about 11 years; up to 40 in captivity |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2025) |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Accipitridae |
| Genus | Aquila |
Where it lives
The wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax) is native to Mainland Australia, Tasmania and southern New Guinea. — recorded across Oceania in this guide’s range summary.
For occurrence records, see GBIF species search and sources below.
How big is a wedge-tailed eagle?
An adult wedge-tailed eagle measures 1.1 m long — about 61% of the height of an average adult person (1.73 m) — and weighs around 3.4 kg, about 5% of an average adult’s body weight (70 kg).
Length vs an average adult’s height (to scale)
What is a group of wedge-tailed eagles called?
Group name (collective noun)
A group of Wedge-tailed Eagles is called a convocation.
Baby name
A baby Wedge-tailed Eagle is called an eaglet.
Explore more animal collective nouns and baby animal names .
Identification
Wedge-tailed eagles are large, long-winged eagles with feathered legs and a distinctive long tail shaped like a wedge or diamond. Adults are blackish-brown with paler nape feathers; young birds are lighter and golden-brown, darkening over several years.
Hunting and scavenging
They hunt rabbits, hares, young kangaroos and wallabies, birds and reptiles, sometimes working in pairs or groups to tackle larger prey, and they readily feed on roadkill and other carcasses.
Where it lives
The species is found across almost all of mainland Australia and Tasmania and in southern New Guinea. Pairs build huge stick nests in tall trees, adding to them over many years.
Status
BirdLife International lists the wedge-tailed eagle as Least Concern (2025); the population size and trend are not well known. The Tasmanian subspecies, A. a. fleayi, is far rarer and protected as Endangered in Australia because of nest disturbance, collisions and persecution.
Explore the Wedge-tailed Eagle
Close relatives
- Golden Eagle Same genus
- Bald Eagle Same family
- Harpy Eagle Same family
- Northern Goshawk Same family
Range & geography
Did you know? Wedge-tailed Eagle facts
- Pairs add to the same huge stick nest over many years.
- Young birds are paler and darken with age.
Conservation status of the Wedge-tailed Eagle
The wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Least Concern (LC) is the IUCN's lowest-risk category, assigned to widespread, abundant species that have been evaluated and found not to be threatened. It does not mean a species faces no pressures — only that it is not currently at risk of extinction.
Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) was most recently assessed for the IUCN Red List in 2025. Look up on the IUCN Red List .
Frequently asked questions about the Wedge-tailed Eagle
What is the largest bird of prey in Australia?
The wedge-tailed eagle, with a wingspan of up to about 2.5 m.
Why is it called a wedge-tailed eagle?
For its long tail, which is shaped like a wedge or diamond and is easy to see in flight.
Is the wedge-tailed eagle endangered?
The species overall is Least Concern, but the Tasmanian subspecies is listed as Endangered in Australia.
What do wedge-tailed eagles eat?
Rabbits, hares, small kangaroos and wallabies, birds, reptiles and carrion.
What is a group of wedge-tailed eagles called?
A group of Wedge-tailed Eagles is called a convocation.
What is a baby wedge-tailed eagle called?
A baby Wedge-tailed Eagle is called an eaglet.
Sources & references
This guide is compiled and reviewed against established zoological and conservation references. Key sources for the Wedge-tailed Eagle:
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IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Conservation status (Least Concern) reflects the IUCN Red List category for Aquila audax, most recently assessed in 2025.
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iNaturalist — observations & photos
Search citizen-science observations and community IDs for Aquila audax. Useful for range checks and recent sightings — not a substitute for formal Red List status.
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GBIF — occurrence data
Global Biodiversity Information Facility species search for Aquila audax. Explore published occurrence records used in range research.
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eBird — bird observations
Cornell Lab eBird target search for Wedge-tailed Eagle. Check recent checklists and seasonal abundance where birders report this species.
- BirdLife International (2026). Species factsheet: Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax. BirdLife DataZone. Checked 1 November 2026.
IUCN Red List category Least Concern (assessed 2025), population estimate and trend.
- Animal Diversity Web: Aquila audax. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
Size, lifespan and behaviour.
- Tobias, J. A. et al. (2022). AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25: 581–597. doi:10.1111/ele.13898
Average body mass.
- Gill, F., Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, P. (Eds). IOC World Bird List v15.2.
English and scientific name, classification and range.
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