Hieraaetus fasciatus - Bonelli's Eagle
Feather characters. Barbules are extremely long (2.8-3.2 mm)and entangled. Concentration of pigment varies from absent to lightly stippled in basal internodes. Slightly thickened nodes (8-9 per mm) are located on proximal end of barbules. Over a short distance these nodes abruptly decrease in size. Further along the barbule, nodal structures are too small to qualify as nodes. Villi are absent and internodes are straight. Short prongs may occur along the entire length and on both sides of the pennulum, but they are unequally distributed. Their length varies; in some preparations, only minute prongs are found. The longest ones are longer than 0.01 mm, but shorter than half the length of the adjacent internode. Occasionally prongs are asymmetric.
Field characters. Length 65-72 cm; wingspan 150-170 cm. Weight: male 1500 g, female 2500 g (Dunning, 1993). Adult shows contrast between white body and forewing and long, narrow and rather dark wings with paler bases to flight feathers. Upperparts are grey-brown with white back/mantle patch of variable size; rather long tail has pale base. Juvenile with reddish brown head and streaked underbody; tail lightly barred; white back (not mantle) patch and uppertail coverts. Immatures become progressively more white. Soars with wings held flat or slightly above the horizontal; flight is swift and powerful.
Voice. Main call is a melodious fluting "klu-klu-klu-kluee".
Distribution. Rare resident. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Breeds in mountainous areas where nest is built on rocky crags but also in trees; outside the breeding season, frequents lowland habitats.
Food. Hunts from cover or by quartering ground. Prey mainly medium-sized mammals and birds.