The Golden Eagle measures over six feet from wing to wing and three feet in length.
It was used by the Kirghiz of Central Asia and other tribes to kill antelope, foxes and even wolves.
Ensign of the ancient kings of Babylon and Persia, the eagle first appears as a war standard among the Persians.
As a standard of the Roman armies, it was first used by Marius and afterwards took the place of all the other emblems at the head of the legions. In Roman times an eagle was let fly from the pyre of the deceased emperor.
In the Catholic Church, the golden eagle is the traditional supporter of the lectern because the eagle is the natural enemy of the serpent.
In heraldry, the eagle signifies fortitude. It is found on a number of family crests: Boylan, Brown, Casey or o'Casey, O 'Donoghue, Dunne, Joyce, Moriarty and Rafferty.