The Golden Eagle

Postcard US-2711124 to the Netherlands shows a golden eagle soaring over the Mount  Charleston near Las Vegas in Nevada.

One of the best-known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere, the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Although considered hawk-like, these dark brown birds have a stance and bearing much like that of an eagle, with a soaring wingspan of 76-92", eyes with an "eagle look", and a "golden" nap. They build their nests with a large mass of sticks on a crag, ledge or in a tree, with a pair alternating between several nests in different years.

Photo by Alan & Sandy Carey.

America the Beautiful -- Sonora Desert

The second postal card in the America the Beautiful series was issued January 13, 1989 in Tucson, Arizona. The design features an eagle soaring over the Sonora Desert in the golden glow of sunset. The 15-cent stamped card was the first philatelic item of 1989 by USPS.