# Golden Drop (DD-611) > The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is the most widely distributed eagle, found across the Northern Hemisphere. It mainly eats hares, rabbits, marmots and ground squirrels, and occasionally takes larger prey such as ungulates. Its best-documented dropping behavior involves tortoises. A 2022 study in Scientific Reports by José María Gil-Sánchez and colleagues describes golden eagles in southeastern Spain preying on spur-thighed tortoises (Testudo graeca) by dropping them onto rocks to break their shells. The tortoises served as alternative prey where rabbits had become scarce, and the eagles selected adult females. A 2022 study in Diversity by Lavrentis Sidiropoulos and colleagues found that tortoises made up an average of 71% of prey categories in golden eagles' breeding-season diet in northern Greece. Outside the breeding season, while tortoises hibernate, the eagles switched to carrion, mammals and birds. Golden eagles also drop sticks and rocks in courtship, catching them again in mid-air. The Reel's footage shows an eagle carrying a young ungulate, which then tumbles down rocky slopes. Dropping or knocking ungulates off cliffs is known mainly from filmed and anecdotal reports rather than systematic studies. - Department: Nature - First published: 2025-07-08 - Last updated: 2025-07-08 - Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/golden-drop/ - Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department ## Quick facts - **DD-611-F01**: Golden eagles drop tortoises onto rocks to break their shells. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (Rock drop))_ - **DD-611-F02**: Tortoises made up about 71% of golden eagles' breeding-season diet in northern Greece. _(Write-up · Exhibit C (Greek diet))_ ## Write-up Gravity as a hunting tool. Golden eagles drop tortoises onto rocks to crack them open. 1. **Rock drop**: Golden eagles prey on tortoises by dropping them onto rocks to break their shells. 2. **Plan B prey**: In Spain, tortoises were alternative prey where rabbits were scarce, and eagles picked adult females. 3. **Greek diet**: In northern Greece, tortoises made up about 71% of the breeding-season diet. 4. **Usual menu**: Their main prey is hares, rabbits, marmots and ground squirrels, with occasional ungulates. 5. **On camera**: Dropping young ungulates is known mostly from footage and anecdotal reports, not studies. ## Related case files - [Dipping Dipper (DD-040)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/dipping-dipper/): Another bird with an unusual foraging behavior - [Albatross Chicks (DD-599)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/albatross-chicks/): Another large-bird case ## Reel vs. record - **Note**: 'Tortoises': this is the best-documented case. Studies in Spain and Greece describe golden eagles dropping tortoises onto rocks to break their shells. - **Note**: 'Or even young ungulates': golden eagles occasionally take ungulates, but dropping them is documented mainly in filmed and anecdotal reports, not systematic studies. - **Note**: 'Large rodents': their main prey is hares, rabbits, marmots and ground squirrels. There's no study-based evidence of them dropping these. - **Note**: 'Known for their dramatic hunting techniques, including dropping prey': dropping is a specialized behavior, not their usual hunting method. In Spain, tortoises served as alternative prey where rabbits were scarce (Gil-Sánchez et al. 2022). - **Missing**: in northern Greece, tortoises made up about 71% of the eagles' breeding-season diet, and the eagles switched to carrion, mammals and birds while tortoises hibernate. ## Video: Golden Drop: Gravity as a Hunting Tool - Duration: 22.2 s · Published: 2025-07-08 - File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DL1t5JENGgW.mp4 ### Transcript DID YOU KNOW? Golden eagles are powerful raptors known for their dramatic hunting techniques, including dropping prey from great heights to kill or disable it. When hunting animals like tortoises, large rodents, or even young ungulates, they may seize the prey in their strong talons, fly high into the air and release it onto rocks or hard ground below. The impact can break shells, bones, or otherwise incapacitate the prey. NOW YOU KNOW! ## Questions & answers **Q: Which prey are golden eagles best documented dropping onto rocks?** A: To break the shell. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Rock drop) · Gil-Sánchez et al. (2022), Predation impact on threatened spur-thighed tortoises by golden eagles when main prey is scarce, Scientific Reports; Sidiropoulos et al. (2022), Pronounced Seasonal Diet Diversity Expansion of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Northern Greece during the Non-Breeding Season: The Role of Tortoises, Diversity)_ **Q: What is the golden eagle's scientific name?** A: It's the most widespread eagle. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Rock drop) · Gil-Sánchez et al. (2022), Predation impact on threatened spur-thighed tortoises by golden eagles when main prey is scarce, Scientific Reports; Sidiropoulos et al. (2022), Pronounced Seasonal Diet Diversity Expansion of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Northern Greece during the Non-Breeding Season: The Role of Tortoises, Diversity)_ **Q: In Spain, why did eagles turn to tortoises?** A: Tortoises were alternative prey. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Rock drop) · Gil-Sánchez et al. (2022), Predation impact on threatened spur-thighed tortoises by golden eagles when main prey is scarce, Scientific Reports; Sidiropoulos et al. (2022), Pronounced Seasonal Diet Diversity Expansion of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Northern Greece during the Non-Breeding Season: The Role of Tortoises, Diversity)_ **Q: About what share of breeding-season prey were tortoises in northern Greece?** A: Sidiropoulos et al. 2022. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Plan B prey) · Gil-Sánchez et al. (2022), Predation impact on threatened spur-thighed tortoises by golden eagles when main prey is scarce, Scientific Reports)_ **Q: Which tortoise species did the Spanish study focus on?** A: The spur-thighed tortoise. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Rock drop) · Gil-Sánchez et al. (2022), Predation impact on threatened spur-thighed tortoises by golden eagles when main prey is scarce, Scientific Reports; Sidiropoulos et al. (2022), Pronounced Seasonal Diet Diversity Expansion of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Northern Greece during the Non-Breeding Season: The Role of Tortoises, Diversity)_ ## Sources - [Gil-Sánchez et al. (2022), Predation impact on threatened spur-thighed tortoises by golden eagles when main prey is scarce, Scientific Reports](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-22288-9) - [Sidiropoulos et al. (2022), Pronounced Seasonal Diet Diversity Expansion of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in Northern Greece during the Non-Breeding Season: The Role of Tortoises, Diversity](https://doi.org/10.3390/d14020135) - [Wikipedia: Golden eagle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_eagle) ## Cite this case file Easterling, Marcus. "Golden Drop." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-611, last updated Jul 8, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/golden-drop/