Bonelli's Eagle - Hieraaetus fasciatus

Bonelli's Eagle (Hieraaetus fasciatus)
(aka Aquila fasciatus)

Frango Castello, Crete
November 2002

Bonelli's Eagle is a relatively rare raptor found around the Mediterranean and across the Middle East into India and China.

In many areas its population is in decline and there may be as few as 600 pairs left in Europe of which the majority are in Spain while about 50 are to be found in Greece and around 14 of these are in Crete.

It is found from sea-level to about 1500 metres and hunts over most types of drier country. It nests on cliff ledges or in large trees up mountainsides where it build a huge stick nest up to 2 metres in diameter.

It is often seen hunting in pairs as in the first photo. In flight at a distance the combination of a whitish body and dark wings and tail is unique. The leading edge of the wing is white, which you can just make out in the second photo where you can also see the broad dark band at the tip of the long tail.

Other points to note are only moderate "fingers", the fairly small head and the relatively broad, straight tail with squarish ends which is about the same length as the width of the wings.

It feeds on small to medium-sized birds such as partridge and jackdaw, mammals such as rabbits as well as lizards and other smaller prey.

Franco Andrea Bonelli was an Italian naturalist who lived from 1784 to 1830.

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