18th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Eagle Child

A young eagle huntress from the Altai Mountains in Western Mongolia. Too young to compete, yet old enough to graduate from training with a Falcon to a Golden Eagle. Female Golden Eagles, larger and stronger than males, are used almost exclusively on the hunt. Once the Eagles reach about 15 pounds they ride with their hunter on horseback into the mountains where they are released to scan the landscape for food.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2019
Date Uploaded: 11.2020
Photo Location: Bayan - Olgii, Mongolia
Copyright: © Katrina Martlew