Editing Golden eagle (section)

=== North America ===
The [[biome]]s occupied by golden eagles are roughly concurrent with those of Eurasia. In western and northern [[Alaska]] and northern [[Canada]] to the [[Ungava Peninsula]] in [[Quebec]], the eagles occupy the Arctic fringe of North America (the species does not range into the true high Arctic tundra), where open canopy gives way to dwarf-shrub heathland with [[Eriophorum|cottongrass]] and [[Tussock (grass)|tussock]] tundra. In land-locked areas of the sub-Arctic, golden eagles are by far the largest raptor. From the [[Alaska Range]] to [[Washington (state)|Washington]] and [[Oregon]], it is often found in high mountains above the [[tree line]] or on bluffs and cliffs along river valleys below the tree line.<ref name= Ritchie>{{cite journal |last1=Ritchie |first1=R.J. |first2=J.A. |last2=Curatolo |title=Notes on Golden Eagle productivity and nest site characteristics, Porcupine River, Alaska, 1979–1982 |journal=Raptor Research |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=123–7 |year=1982 |url=https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/jrr/v016n04/p00123-p00128.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/jrr/v016n04/p00123-p00128.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name= Petersen>{{cite journal |last1=Petersen |first1=M.R. |first2=D.N. |last2=Weir |first3=M.H. |last3=Dick |title=Birds of the Kilbuck and Ahklun Mountain Region, Alaska |journal=North American Fauna |volume=76 |pages=1–158 |year=1991 |doi=10.3996/nafa.76.0001|bibcode=1991usgs.rept...13P |url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc700997/m2/1/high_res_d/nafa.76.0001.pdf |hdl=2027/uc1.31822033875303 }}</ref> In Washington state, golden eagles can be found in clear-cut sections of otherwise dense coniferous forest zones with relatively little annual precipitation.<ref name= Marr>{{cite journal |author1=Marr, N.V. |author2=Knight, R.L. |title=Food Habits of Golden Eagles in Eastern Washington |journal=Murrelet |volume=64 |issue=3 |pages=73–77 |year=1983 |jstor=3535265 |doi=10.2307/3535265}}</ref> From east of the Canadian Rocky Mountains to the mountains of Labrador, the golden eagle is found in small numbers in boreal forest [[peatland]]s and similar [[Mixed Wood Plains Ecozone (CEC)|mixed woodland areas]]. In the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in the United States are [[plain]]s and [[prairie]]s where golden eagles are widespread, especially where there is a low human presence. Here, grassland on low rolling hills and flat plains are typical, interrupted only by [[Populus sect. Aigeiros|cottonwood stands]] around river valleys and [[wetland]]s where the eagles may build their nests. 

Golden eagles also occupy the desert-like [[Great Basin]] from southern [[Idaho]] to northern [[Arizona]] and [[New Mexico]]. In this habitat, trees are generally absent other than [[juniper]]s with vegetation being dominated by [[Artemisia (genus)|sagebrush]] (''Artemisia'') and other low shrub species. Although the vegetation varies a bit more, similar habitat is occupied by golden eagles in Mexico.<ref name="Craig84">{{cite journal |author1=Craig, T.H. |author2=Craig, E.H. |title=Results of a helicopter survey of cliff nesting raptors in a deep canyon in southern Idaho |journal=Journal of Raptor Research |volume=18 |issue=1 |pages=20–25 |year=1984 |url=https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/jrr/v018n01/p00020-p00025.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/jrr/v018n01/p00020-p00025.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="marz">{{cite journal |author=Marzluff, J.M.|author2= Knick, S.T.|author3= Vekasy, M.S.|author4= Schueck, L.S.|author5= Zarriello, T.J. |title=Spatial use and habitat selection of Golden Eagles in southwestern Idaho |url=https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v114n04/p0673-p0687.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v114n04/p0673-p0687.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|journal=Auk |volume=114 |issue=4 |pages=673–687 |year=1997 |jstor=4089287 |doi=10.2307/4089287|bibcode= 1997Auk...114..673M|s2cid= 55398508}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Millsap, B.A. |title=Distributional status of Falconiformes in west central Arizona-with notes on ecology, reproductive success and management |publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management |year=1981 |series=Technical Note |volume=355 }}</ref> However, golden eagles are typically absent in North America from true deserts, like the [[Sonora Desert]], where annual precipitation is less than {{convert|20|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite book|author=Root, T.L. |title=Atlas of wintering North American birds; an analysis of Christmas Bird Count data |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=1988 |isbn=0226725391}}</ref> Golden eagles occupy the mountains and coastal areas of [[California]] and [[Baja California]] in [[Mexico]] where hot, dry summers and moist winters are typical. The golden eagles here often nest in [[chaparral]] and [[oak]] woodland, oak savanna and grassland amongst low rolling hill typified by diverse vegetation.<ref name="Hunt">Hunt, W. G., Jackman, R.E. Brown, T. L., Gilardi, J. G., Driscoll, D. E. & Culp, L. 1995. ''A pilot Golden Eagle population study in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area, California''. Predatory Bird Research Group, University of California, Santa Cruz.</ref> In the Eastern United States, the species once bred widely in the [[Appalachian Plateau]] near [[Wildfire|burns]], open [[marsh]]es, [[meadow]]s, [[bog]]s and [[lake]]s.<ref name="Spottford">{{cite journal |author=Spofford, W.R. |title=The breeding status of the Golden Eagle in the Appalachians |journal=American Birds |volume=25 |pages=3–7 |year=1971 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Singer, F.J. |title=Status of the Osprey, Bald Eagle, and Golden Eagle in the Adirondacks |journal=New York Fish & Game Commission Journal |volume=21 |pages=18–31 |year=1974 }}</ref> In Eastern North America, the species still breeds on the [[Gaspe Peninsula]], [[Quebec]]. Until 1999, a pair of golden eagles were still known to nest in [[Maine]] but they are now believed to be absent as a breeding bird from the [[Eastern United States]].<ref name="Watson" /> The golden eagles who breed in eastern Canada winter on montane grass and heath fields in the Appalachian Plateau region, especially in [[Pennsylvania]], [[New York (state)|New York]], [[West Virginia]], [[Maryland]] and [[Virginia]]. Most sightings in the [[Eastern United States]] recently are concentrated within or along southwestern border of the [[Appalachian Plateau]] (30% of records) and within the Coastal Plain physiographic region (33% of records).<ref name="Millaps">{{cite journal |last1=Millsap |first1=B.A. |first2=S.L. |last2=Vana |title=Distribution of wintering Golden Eagles in the eastern United States |journal=Wilson Bulletin |volume=96 |issue=4 |pages=692–701 |year=1984 |jstor=4162004}}</ref>

Though they do regularly nest in the marsh-like [[Mire|peatland]] of the boreal forest, golden eagles are not generally associated with wetlands and, in fact, they can be found near some of the most arid spots on earth. In the wintering population of Eastern United States, however, they are often associated with steep river valleys, reservoirs, and marshes in inland areas as well as estuarine marshlands, barrier islands, managed wetlands, sounds, and mouths of major river systems in coastal areas. These wetlands are attractive due to a dominance of open vegetation, large concentrations of prey, and the general absence of human disturbance.<ref name="Millaps"/> In the midwestern United States, they are not uncommon during winter near [[reservoir]]s and wildlife refuges that provide foraging opportunities at waterfowl concentrations.<ref>{{cite book |author=Wingfield, G.A. |chapter=Central plains buteos and Golden Eagle |editor=Pendleton, B.G. |title=Proceedings of the Midwest raptor management symposium and workshop |publisher=National Wildlife Federation |year=1991 |isbn=0945051506 |pages=60–68 }}</ref>