- Hieraaetus fasciatus
Aquila fasciata
Identification
55-65cm. Dark brown upperparts, white underside with dark streaks, short and rounded wings, grey tail on top, white below, single broad black terminal band, yellow feet and iris. Immature - deep buff underparts and underwing coverts, fine barring on tail, no terminal band.
Distribution
Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Generally rare in Europe, the stronghold is Spain where it is found almost throughout the country except the north-east. Also found in southern France, Sardinia, and Sicily, scattered in parts of the former Yugoslavia and Greece, Crete, and some other Greek islands, Cyprus and in parts of Turkey. In North Africa occurs in the mountains of Morocco, north Algeria and in north Tunisia and in the Middle East breeds very locally in Israel and Jordan. Declining in most areas. In Asia occurs from Iran eastwards through most of India and Nepal to South-East Asia, and eastern and southern China. Also occurs in the Lesser Sunda Islands.
Occasionally birds have been seen crossing the Mediterranean at Gibraltar but this is basically a resident species. However, young birds do disperse and vagrants have been recorded north to the Netherlands, Germany and even Finland, and although seen as close as Belgium, there are no records as yet for Britain. A 1974 record for Denmark has recently been reviewed and placed in Category D, ie there are doubts about the origins of the bird involved. Vagrants also recorded on the Canary Islands, Balearics and Kuwait.
Taxonomy
Aquila vs. Hieraaetus
Hieraaetus species are sometimes placed in a broader defined Aquila (e.g. Clements, 2005). Sibley & Monroe (1996) and Howard & Moore (2003) retain the placement in Hieraaetus, and the Opus awaits further clarification.
Subspecies
Two subspecies recognised: renschii in the Lesser Sundas and nominate in remainder of range. African Hawk-Eagle has been split from Bonelli's Eagle.
Habitat
Mainly in mountain areas, nesting on crags or cliff-faces and hunting over maquis, open woodland and forest edge. Out of the breeding season often hunts over wetlands and more open country.
Behaviour
It nests in a tree or on a crag; 1-3 eggs are laid.
The diet includes mammals or birds.
Vocalisation
<flashmp3>Hieraaetus fasciatus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
