Booted Eagle - A Field Guide to Birds of Armenia ::Acopian Center for the Environment

Booted Eagle

Hieraaetus pennatus

Armenian Name:	Գաճաճ արծիվ

Armenian Name:

Գաճաճ արծիվ

Flight Characteristics:	From below, has pale inner primaries and pale base of tail. Light phase has dark head; from below, has prominent whitish wing coverts and body which contrast with blackish flight feathers. Dark phase has dark body and underwing coverts. Soars with wings held forward and primaries angled slightly back causing wing to appear curved. Flight is series of deep wingbeats followed by flat-winged glides. Square-ended tail often spread and twisted like kites.
Resident Status:	Breeding bird
Abundance:	Uncommon
Length:	43-53 cm, Wing Span:100-121 cm
Distribution Map:	Map 52.
Description:	Small eagle with both light and dark phases; light more common. Dark above with pale scapulars, and broad pale bar across upperwing coverts. In flight, shows small pale marks at base of the leading edge of the upperwing.
Adult:	Light phase has off-white underparts, black flight feathers, and broad dark terminal tail band. Dark phase shows dark body and underwing coverts, and light brown tail.
Juvenile:	Faint reddish streaks on underparts.
Similar Species:	Dark phase differs from Marsh Harrier, Black Kite, and Common Buzzard by combination of white undertail coverts, pale bar on upperwing, and long slightly-rounded tail.
Behavior:	Typically solitary outside the breeding season, even on migration.
Habitat:	Forest intermixed with steppe.
Food:	Birds, small mammals, reptiles, insects.
Nest:	Platform of twigs lined with green vegetation in tree.
Eggs:	55 mm, 2, white, pale brown blotches.

Flight Characteristics:

From below, has pale inner primaries and pale base of tail. Light phase has dark head; from below, has prominent whitish wing coverts and body which contrast with blackish flight feathers. Dark phase has dark body and underwing coverts. Soars with wings held forward and primaries angled slightly back causing wing to appear curved. Flight is series of deep wingbeats followed by flat-winged glides. Square-ended tail often spread and twisted like kites.

Resident Status:

Breeding bird

Abundance:

Uncommon

Length:

43-53 cm, Wing Span:100-121 cm

Distribution Map:

Map 52.

Description:

Small eagle with both light and dark phases; light more common. Dark above with pale scapulars, and broad pale bar across upperwing coverts. In flight, shows small pale marks at base of the leading edge of the upperwing.

Adult:

Light phase has off-white underparts, black flight feathers, and broad dark terminal tail band. Dark phase shows dark body and underwing coverts, and light brown tail.

Juvenile:

Faint reddish streaks on underparts.

Similar Species:

Dark phase differs from Marsh Harrier, Black Kite, and Common Buzzard by combination of white undertail coverts, pale bar on upperwing, and long slightly-rounded tail.

Behavior:

Typically solitary outside the breeding season, even on migration.

Habitat:

Forest intermixed with steppe.

Food:

Birds, small mammals, reptiles, insects.

Nest:

Platform of twigs lined with green vegetation in tree.

Eggs:

55 mm, 2, white, pale brown blotches.

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