inEaglesPortugal

SHORT-TOED EAGLE

(Circaetus gallicus)

Identifying Characteristics:

Adults typically range from 59 to 70 centimetres long with a wingspan of 162 to 195 centimetres.

· Their colouring is brown with a predominantly white underside.

· Black bars line the underside of their wings and belly and are visible when flying.

· Short-Toed Eagles fly more than any other eagle in Portugal!

· They soar over their territory from a height of up to 500 meters, hunting from the air and diving to catch their prey.

Sometimes called Short-Toed Snake Eagles, this species primarily eats reptiles and occasionally birds and mammals.

· If they attempt to snatch a snake too large to pick up, they’ll fight it on the ground, grabbing at it with its claws and beak until the snake dies.

· This species primarily lives in open plains and semi-desert regions where snakes are plentiful.

· Short-Toed Eagles in Portugal migrate to avoid cold winters, while those in Asia and the Middle East are year-round residents.

BOOTED EAGLE (Hieraaetus pennatus)

Identifying Characteristics:

· Adults typically are up to 40 centimetres long with a wingspan of 110 to 132 centimetres.

· Two distinct colour morphs:

· The light morph is pale grey with a dark grey head and wings.

· The dark morph is mid-brown with dark grey wings.

· This species is relatively small and has a very short neck. Booted Eagles in Portugal are migratory, living during the breeding season in open forests and hilly terrain. Then, they travel south toward Sub-Saharan Africa during winter. They will nest in nearly any protected area except for dense forests, which don’t allow them to fly freely.

· The less-common dark morph of this species is often confused with the Black Kite due to their similar colouring and size. One way to tell the two apart is to look at the tail feathers. In Black Kites, the tail feathers are spread straight across and end in a sharp line. Booted Eagles have a fan-like tail with a curved edge.

· Booted Eagles hunt from the air, circling above clearings and diving to catch smaller birds on the ground. They occasionally eat reptiles and mammals. Breeding pairs mate for life and can often be seen flying and hunting together.

· The best time to observe Booted Eagles in Portugal is March and September when they migrate. The birds are often secluded during the breeding season in forested nesting areas, and males only leave to hunt.

· Even though the Booted Eagle’s habitat is threatened due to development and agricultural activity, its population is steady and not in decline.

· Like other eagle species, Booted Eagles’ voices don’t really match their fierce looks! The short, high chirping notes sound more like a garden songbird.

BONELLI’S EAGLE (Aquila fasciata)

Identifying Characteristics:

· Adults typically range from 55 to 74 centimetres long with a wingspan of 143 to 180 centimetres.

· The back and wings are dark brown, with a mottled white chest and a light brown head.

· The legs are unusually long, and the feet and talons are enormous for their size.

· Bonelli’s Eagles live near large bodies of water like the Mediterranean Sea.

· They are permanent residents of their range and don’t typically migrate. Look for them in foothills and mountain areas with plenty of rocky cliffs to perch on.

· Researchers have found that Bonelli’s Eagles also hunt in tandem with their mating partner. However, this doesn’t seem to help their success or increase the size of their meal. It’s more likely that this tandem hunting is done to strengthen the pair’s relationship. That’s a pretty unique date activity!

· Bonelli’s Eagles hunt a wide selection of prey, including mammals, lizards, and smaller birds. They specialize in hunting European rabbits and partridges and will almost always seek them out to eat when available.

· After they leave the nest for the final time, Bonelli’s Eagles disperse to find their own territory and begin the process of finding a mate.

· They have the widest dispersal area of any eagle in Portugal, travelling up to 536 kilometres from their nest. This contributes to a healthier gene selection by diversifying the population.

SPANISH IMPERIAL EAGLE (Aquila adalberti)

Identifying Characteristics:

Adults typically range from 72 to 85 centimetres long with a wingspan of 177 to 220 centimetres.

· Their colouring is dark, oily brownish-black with a pronounced white bar on the wings and a sandy-coloured head and neck.

· Young members of the species are very different in appearance, with a uniform sandy colouring and dark bars on the wings.

· This species has the smallest range of all eagles in Portugal.

· Spanish Imperial Eagles are only found on the Iberian Peninsula, in Spain and Portugal.

· Their population is very low and, until recently, they were considered critically endangered.

· Spanish Imperial Eagles are only found on the Iberian Peninsula, in Spain and Portugal.

· Their population is very low, and until recently, they were considered critically endangered.

· This species prefers dry, mature forests as its habitat and will usually choose nesting sites close to the edge of a forest in a shrubby, secluded area.

· They are shy and wary of human disturbance, so observing one in the wild can be tricky!

· If you do spot one, stay as still as possible and observe from a distance.

· Typically, Spanish Imperial Eagles eat rabbits, but as this prey becomes scarce due to disease, the eagles have turned to water birds as the primary food source. Geese, ducks, and other large waterfowl are all on the menu.

· Nesting Spanish Imperial Eagles lay clutches of one to three eggs, which hatch in about 43 days. Once the hatchlings begin moving around the nest, an intense rivalry starts. Siblings are so aggressive toward one another that fights between nest mates account for 50% of juvenile deaths!

Osprey

(Pandion haliaetus)

Identifying Characteristics:

· Adults are 50 to 65 centimetres long, and their wingspan is 150 to 180 centimetres.

· Colouring is dark brown on the wings and back with a white neck, chest, and underparts.

· The beak and talons are black.

· The first thing you need to know about Ospreys is they are NOT eagles! They are not hawks either and, scientifically speaking, have been given their own Family (Pandionidae) and Genus (Pandion), separate from all other birds of prey. https://birdwatchinghq.com/eagles-of-portugal/