Unlike all other monographs on the Golden Eagle, each of which had a regional focus on the study area of the author, this book represents the most wide-ranging compilation of Golden Eagle research ever. With over 175 authors reporting on more than 2000 combined field seasons, representing every biome where the species is found, this book marks one of the greatest attempts to describe the biology of any circumpolar species. Having more than 920 pages, over 1,500 illustrations, many never previously published, this work represents a truly global achievement. It merits a place in the library of every ornithologist and raptor enthusiast.
Jesús Bautista Rodriguez was drawn to wildlife by the age of 4 and had his first encounter with a Golden Eagle at the age of 6. Since then, he has maintained a passion for this and other great eagles. He never had an interest in a university degree, thinking instead that real knowledge came from books and, above all, from long days afield. As a result, he has accumulated more than 100,000 hours in field observations of these magnificent birds. This led him to develop close ties with biologists and university scientists. Today, he feels most fortunate to have been working for more than 25 years as a professional field biologist with endangered species. The culmination of this effort being, together with the “Ellis family,” the production of this book, the largest work on any eagle ever produced.
David H. Ellis was born to study Golden Eagles. He began drawing birds by age 4, hiking alone by 9, and teaching and publishing while still an undergraduate student. His publications exceed 400 articles or essays in many books and 50 journals. In all, he has edited or authored over 4,000 pages, with over 130 other authors from over a dozen nations. His Enter the Realm of the Golden Eagle won national and international book awards.
"David H. Ellis and Jesus Bautista are particularly well qualified to achieve the enormous task of assembling this book with an incredible team of over 170 authors, in an attempt, surely without precedent, to provide us with a world-scale appraisal of Golden Eagle populations. And they have succeeded, giving us the opportunity to enjoy one of the most interesting and beautiful books on raptors that we have ever seen."
– Miguel Ferrer, Applied Ecology Group, Seville, Spain