Booted Eagles have once again returned to the hillsides above the village, as our favourite summer migrants continue to arrive from African wintering grounds.
The Booted Eagle Aquila pennata occurs widely over Iberia and France, across the Mediterranean region and into eastern Europe. It favours wooded, hilly country, with stretches of scrub or mixed farmland over which it can hunt.
This small, buzzard-sized eagle occurs in both pale and dark colour forms, and it is the striking pale-form that Kiersten has captured here. The white chest and wings with their obvious, black bands are usually quite distinctive, making its ID a pretty straightforward affair…
…and note how the trailing edges of the wings and the tail appear translucent: a helpful point to look for in even poor light.
Small and compact it may be but as Kiersten’s terrific new images illustrate, the Booted Eagle has a presence all of its own. The bird is certainly a quite deadly threat to the reptiles and small birds and mammals on which it feeds, and taking the time to watch it hunt can be rewarded with a sudden, lightening-fast stoop as it plunges suddenly on unsuspecting prey.
The birds of prey of southern Spain are nothing short of spectacular…and if you would like to see for yourself on one of our birdwatching trips and holidays, simply click here for more information. Keep reading our posts as another fantastic month unfolds…
