What is a group of eagles called? The traditional answer is a convocation. In everyday wildlife writing, flock or simply group is also correct. When several eagles circle together in rising warm air, the more precise birding term is a kettle.
The best word depends on what the birds are doing. “Convocation” is a memorable collective noun; “flock” is plain language; and “kettle” describes a specific type of soaring behavior.
Key takeaways:
- Convocation is the traditional collective noun for a gathered group of eagles.
- Flock or group is acceptable in ordinary writing and is often clearer.
- Kettle applies when eagles or other soaring birds circle in a thermal to gain altitude.
- Eaglet means a young eagle, while an aerie or eyrie is a nest.
- Eagle gatherings vary by species, season, food supply, migration conditions, and breeding status.
What Is the Correct Name for a Group of Eagles?
BirdLife International lists convocation as a group name for eagles, and the term is a widely used answer in animal collective-noun references. Some sources also list congress, but these traditional names are not scientific classifications.
For clear nature writing, choose the term that matches the situation:
| Term | When to use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Convocation | A traditional collective noun for eagles gathered together | A convocation of bald eagles at a winter roost |
| Flock or group | General, everyday wording when no special behavior needs to be named | A flock of eagles feeding near open water |
| Kettle | Birds circling in a thermal to gain elevation | A kettle of eagles rising on warm air during migration |
| Pair | Two associated eagles, often breeding partners | A pair of bald eagles near a nest |
| Eaglet | A young eagle, not a group | Two eaglets in an aerie |
| Aerie or eyrie | An eagle’s nest, not a group | An aerie high in a tree or on a cliff |
Why Is a Group of Eagles Called a Convocation?
Convocation means an assembly called together for a meeting or ceremony. The word comes through Middle English and French from the Latin convocare, meaning to call together. Applied to eagles, it creates the image of powerful birds assembling in one place.
The name belongs to the long English tradition of imaginative animal collective nouns. Many such expressions grew from medieval “terms of venery” associated with hunting and hawking. As Merriam-Webster’s history of collective nouns explains, these terms were often playful rather than biological.
That distinction matters: convocation is a linguistic convention, not zoological nomenclature. Wildlife agencies and researchers are more likely to describe a concentration, communal roost, flock, pair, or migrating group because those words communicate what the eagles are actually doing.
When “Flock” and “Kettle” Are More Precise
A flock or group of eagles
Calling several eagles a flock is not wrong. It is a broad, familiar term for birds together in one place. If someone asks, “What is a flock of eagles called?” the traditional reply is convocation, but flock is already valid plain English. Use it when the birds are perched, feeding, traveling, or otherwise gathered without a more specific behavior to describe.
Official wildlife sources often favor equally direct wording. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, for example, says bald eagles may “congregate” in large numbers near open water and use communal night roosts in winter. That language tells readers more about the gathering than an ornamental collective noun does.
A kettle of eagles
A kettle is behavior-specific. The National Eagle Center defines a kettle as a group of birds using a thermal—a rising pocket of warm air—to gain elevation. Eagles can circle upward without spending as much energy on flapping, then glide toward the next area of lift.
Do not use kettle for every group in flight. The birds must be circling or spiraling together in rising air. A line of eagles flying directly, several birds descending, or eagles perched in one tree would be better described as a flock, group, or convocation.
Why Do Eagles Gather?
Many eagles are territorial during breeding, and the gatherings people notice are often temporary. Behavior varies across the world’s many eagle species, but a gathering usually has a practical cause.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidance notes that migrating bald eagles frequently concentrate where food is abundant and often roost together communally.
- Concentrated food: Fish runs, carrion, waterfowl, or other abundant prey can draw several eagles to the same feeding area.
- Open water in winter: Bald eagles may concentrate below dams, along rivers, and near other places where moving water remains unfrozen and food is accessible.
- Communal roosts: Outside the breeding season, bald eagles often spend the night with other eagles in large, sheltered trees near food.
- Migration: Thermals and updrafts can bring soaring birds into the same airspace, creating a kettle.
- Pairs and family associations: In some species, breeding partners and recently fledged young may remain near one another for a time, although that is different from a large convocation.
These gatherings depend on the surrounding habitat and food web. Rivers, lakes, coasts, forests, grasslands, mountains, and human-altered landscapes can all support eagles, but each species uses different ecosystem types differently.
Do Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles Gather the Same Way?
No. Group behavior depends on the species and season. Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are especially likely to form visible winter concentrations, while Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) more often migrate alone or in small groups.
Bald Eagle gatherings
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that bald eagles may congregate in large numbers near open water during winter. They use tall trees to watch for prey and as sheltered night roosts. Although breeding adults maintain territories, communal roosting is common when the birds are not breeding.
Golden Eagle gatherings
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary describes Golden Eagles as typically migrating alone, although they may travel in small flocks of two to five birds. They also use thermals and updrafts, so several circling Golden Eagles can still be called a kettle.
| Behavior | Bald Eagle | Golden Eagle |
|---|---|---|
| Breeding season | Pairs defend nesting territories | Pairs defend nesting territories |
| Nonbreeding gatherings | Can form large winter concentrations and communal roosts | More often alone or in small groups |
| Migration | May use midday thermals and gather where food is abundant | Typically migrates alone or in small flocks of two to five |
| Best group term | Convocation, flock, group, or kettle when circling in a thermal | Convocation, small flock, group, or kettle when circling in a thermal |
Eagle Terms That Are Often Confused
Several eagle-related words are mistakenly presented as alternative group names. Their standard meanings are more specific:
| Word | Meaning | Is it a group name? |
|---|---|---|
| Convocation | A traditional collective noun for gathered eagles | Yes |
| Flock | A general term for birds together | Yes |
| Kettle | Birds circling in a thermal | Yes, for that behavior |
| Eaglet | A young eagle | No |
| Aerie or eyrie | An eagle or other bird of prey’s nest, usually in an elevated location | No |
| Pair | Two associated eagles | Yes, but only two birds |
How to Watch a Group of Eagles Responsibly
Large eagle gatherings can be memorable, but a close view is never worth disrupting feeding, sheltering, or breeding behavior. In the United States, the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act protects both species against disturbance. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommends appropriate distance, landscape buffers, and seasonal limits around sensitive sites.
- Use binoculars, a spotting scope, or a long camera lens instead of approaching.
- Obey posted closures and locally established nest or roost buffers.
- Keep noise low and avoid positioning yourself between eagles and their feeding or roosting area.
- If your presence changes the birds’ behavior, increase your distance.
- Stay on established roads, trails, and public viewing areas to reduce habitat damage.
Protecting critical habitat and minimizing disturbance are more useful conservation actions than trying to get the closest photograph. The recovery of the Bald Eagle also shows why sustained protection can produce meaningful endangered species success stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a group of eagles called?
A group of eagles is traditionally called a convocation. In everyday writing, group or flock is also acceptable.
Is a group of eagles called a flock?
Yes. Flock is a clear general term for eagles gathered together, although convocation is the traditional collective noun.
What is a kettle of eagles?
A kettle is a group of eagles or other soaring birds circling in a thermal to gain altitude. It describes a specific flight behavior, not every group in the air.
Why is a group of eagles called a convocation?
Convocation means an assembly called together. The term comes from Latin roots associated with calling people together and became an imaginative collective noun for gathered eagles.
Are eaglets or an aerie names for a group of eagles?
No. An eaglet is a young eagle, and an aerie or eyrie is an eagle’s nest. Neither is the standard name for a group.
The Bottom Line
A convocation of eagles is the traditional answer, but context determines the clearest term. Use flock or group for a general gathering and kettle only when the birds are circling together in a thermal. Eaglets are young eagles, and an aerie is a nest.
To continue exploring these birds, compare the world’s different eagle species and the habitats that support them.
