The Latin word here came to Spanish as an eagle. Although the concept has several uses, the most frequent is related to the predatory bird that belongs to the family of the accipítridos.
Eagles are characterized by the speed they achieve when flying, their muscles of great strength and excellent vision. They have a beak that, at its base, is straight, but whose tip is curved and sharp. The claws and tarsi are very strong and allow them to grip large prey.
The vision of the eagle is one of the characteristics that most admiration generates in the human being of this splendid animal. For example, it is believed that if we had eyes like his, we would be able to appreciate the walk of an ant at an approximate height of a ten-story building or clearly see the facial expressions of our favorite singer while enjoying his presentation. Live from the furthest location of the stadium, the one that nobody chooses if they can access a better one.
The eagle has eyes that allow it to appreciate a series of nuances and colors that it is difficult for us to imagine, and it sees the objects that are in its direct line of sight with a much greater definition than ours. In layman’s terms, this species is believed to be capable of seeing at a distance almost five times greater than humans.
To study the vision of the eagle, scientists have had to develop different methods, since they cannot apply the same ones that eye doctors have used for decades in our evaluations. One of the most common consists in the use of two screens in which a striped pattern is shown, each with a different thickness; the eagle receives the necessary training to fly through a long tunnel and perch on one of the two screens, which are at the end of it. Since there is a reward only in the one with the thinnest stripes, with each success it is possible to assume that the eagle was able to understand the highest definition image without problem.
William Hodos, a researcher who has spent several decades studying the eyes of the eagle, highlights two main characteristics that distinguish them from ours: their retinas have a higher density of light-detecting cells, thanks to which they can perceive more details (if we were talking about cameras, we could say that it has a higher pixel density); their fovea (a small depression in which visual acuity reaches its maximum value) is deeper, and this allows them to function as a telephoto lens, with more increases in their field of vision.
Due to its characteristics, various peoples take the eagle as a symbol of power. In this way, the animal appears in various emblems and coats of arms of countries, sports groups and other entities.
Among the best known eagles is the golden eagle, which lives in various regions of America, Asia, Europe and Africa. By spreading its wings, the golden eagle reaches an extension of more than two meters. This animal eats from rabbits to foxes, through snakes and mice.
The bald eagle, which is the symbol of the American nation, can weigh about seven kilograms and live fifty years. It is a solitary bird that feeds mainly on fish.
When a human being proves cunning and shrewd, he is often referred to as an eagle. For example: “Ramiro is an eagle for business: he always detects the best opportunities to invest and close commercial agreements”, “I think this boy will grow very quickly in the organization; I’ve been chatting with him and he’s definitely an eagle. ”
A plant, a fish and various localities and brands also bear the name of eagle.
