Aquila is a genus of large eagles that have long, rounded wings with deeply emarginated tips.

Outside the breeding season, Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles are usually quiet, although they produce a range of specific, rather gentle calls.

Wedge-tailed eagles are territorial, top-order predators with very large home ranges which are evenly dispersed in suitable habitats.

[3] Wedge-tailed eagles are carnivorous birds of prey that hunt over a wide range of habitats, including open heath, pasture and grassland, but may also scavenge on carrion when available.

This typically involves a bird launching itself from a perch and then attacking prey on the ground or, less frequently, in flight.

Hunting usually takes place during the day, and prey is usually eaten where it is captured, except during the breeding season when much of the food is taken back to the nest and is fed to the young.

There is no known movement between Tasmania and mainland Australia of wedge-tailed eagles, however a single bird was sighted over Curtis Island circa 1985.

[3][6] Although the species is capable of foraging in forest, the density of the sub-canopy and ground vegetation will influence the availability of prey.

[6] Densities of the species are highest in areas providing mosaics of forest, farmland, grassland, wetlands and rivers.

[1] Trees selected for nesting are among the largest in the locality, typically greater than 27 metres (89 ft) in height, with few exceptions.

[4] Nests are usually spaced about 200 metres (660 ft) apart, but they can be separated by more than 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) in areas where habitat is patchy or restricted.

[3] Reasons for the decline of the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle are lower breeding success from disturbances of nests, loss of habitat, a small breeding population, a decrease in the number of mature individuals, and an unnaturally high mortality rate due to persecution and other factors.

An increase in breeding success on private property was pursued through the establishment of individual agreements and management plans.

No historical measures of population size in Tasmania are known, but records suggest that the eagle is widespread but uncommon.