Eagle-dwarf - description, habitat, interesting facts

The eagle-dwarf is a small bird, its size is similar to a buzzard, it is distinguished by its mobility and excellent flight characteristics. This bird is known for the large size of its wings, which at the same time are very narrowed, and long tail. These eagles have a different manner of flight, they are able not only to soar at high altitude, following the example of their closest relatives, but also carry out shaving flights, slightly bending their wings. Despite their small size, these birds do not show the intrinsic caution of other eagles.

The body length of the predator is 53 centimeters, the width of the wingspan reaches 132 centimeters, the maximum weight of an adult reaches 1300 grams. The females of these birds outnumber the males, but they are painted the same. Their tail plumage in the lower part has a light shade, there are no transverse stripes on the tail.

The model of the beak is similar in appearance to the beak of other species of eagles, it has a curved end to the bottom.The bird's beak is small, it is painted black. The legs are yellow, “equipped” with black claws, and there is plumage on its legs, reaching to the fingers.

The plumage on the legs of the bird was the reason for its second title, which is preserved in various scientific works of French as well as English authors, it literally means - “feathered.”

During his life, a dwarf eagle has to change the character of its plumage several times. A chick dressed in a downy outfit of yellow-white color with blue eyes is born. Having reached two weeks of age, he sheds and becomes covered with down of a pale gray shade. And, only after three months, the birds get their constant plumage.

The color of the dwarf eagle is different, it is divided into two types, which are called "morphs". The first type includes individuals, the color of which mainly consists of dark plumage, and the second type includes birds with light feathers, and light individuals are more widely distributed.

Representatives of the dark type of plumage have a brown-brown color, both above and below, and they also rarely have a reddish or golden tone in the plumage of their head. Similar colors of plumage characterize most of all eagles. The dwarf eagles have the greatest similarity with buzzards, as well as with black kites. But the presence of a large head, on which a massive beak is located, as well as strong, covered with thick feathering legs of this bird, can be recognized in a flying predator as a dwarf eagle.

Eagles of this species are quite noisy birds, especially when it comes to the mating season. They often use intense whistling, which is very reminiscent of the sounds made by a tiemaster, and at times their whistle resembles the calls of buzzards.During the mating season, they use the scream that characterizes most eagles, but they use a higher tonality. And sometimes make vibrating sounds that resemble a rattle.

Habitats

The eagle-dwarf chooses narrow zones for its nesting places located throughout the Atlantic coast of northwestern Africa. On the Mediterranean coast, it can be found, from Morocco to Tunisia itself. In the territories located in the south of the High Atlas, as well as in the central part of Tunisia, the bird is no longer found.

Within Europe, the largest population of these birds is located on the territory of the Iberian Peninsula, and they are also found in the central part of France north of the Ardennes Mountains. Single nests of dwarf eagles can be found in Greece and northern Turkey, as well as throughout the eastern part of Europe.

On the territory of the Russian Federation, the bird lives only within two limited areas. The first of them is western, located on the European part of the country, it is marked east of Tula, as well as the Tambov region.The second is eastern, it is located from Altai to Transbaikalia.

The nesting places of the dwarf eagle, located to the south of the borders of Russia, are located on the territory of the Transcaucasus, in the central part of Asia, the northern part of India and in the east of Mongolia. A separate small population of this species of eagles can be found in the Cape Province.

Eagle Dwarf Eating

The eagle's legs, which are equipped with tenacious claws, are located on the long fingers of the bird, as well as its strong beak and rather large wings, allow the predator to hunt for game moving at high speed. For its size, it is even strange that he is able to handle large opponents, one of which may be a rabbit. This eagle does not experience any predilections for a certain type of prey, the group of animals on which it will announce hunting determines the nature of the area in which it lives.

The eagle-dwarf is capable of catching, both on the ground and in the air, birds of small or medium size, and, on occasion, does not shy away from the eggs found in their nests.In areas with arid characteristics, the hunt is on reptiles, it is able to neutralize poisonous reptiles with the help of one precise and strong blow.

The process of breeding offspring

Eagle dwarfs are characterized by one individual trait - they always strive to return to the place where their nest is located. It is noteworthy that both partners fly to the wintering place separately, and do not see each other during the whole winter period. However, with the onset of spring, they return to their nest and occur after winter separation.

When the meeting took place, the male first of all hurries to surprise his female with the skill of his flight and the ability to reach recklessness in risky maneuvers. Using a model of a narrow imaginary spiral for lifting, he rises to the sky to a height of about 800 meters, freezes for a while in the sky, maintaining a theatrical pause and bending his wings, at a lightning speed, rushes down, performing skillful feasts just before the ground. After that, he again gains height and does this trick again, it is not uncommon for him to execute a dead loop at the exit of the peak.The artistry of his tricks is accompanied by a male with a noisy accompaniment consisting of the clacking of his high voice.

The eagles-dwarfs arrange their nests from branches of different length and thickness, the place is chosen by them in the forest, near open areas. Interestingly, for the device of the nest, they always look for a tree that has a fork at a height of 5 to 18 meters, in which the birds build their dwelling. Only in rare cases can a nest be arranged on a thick branch.

In the laying of the female, the eagle can have from 1 to 2 eggs, which she lays from the second half of April to the beginning of May. The eggs of these eagles are white, sometimes with a yellowish or greenish patina, and brown or ocher colored spots. The incubation period is 38 days.After the chicks hatch, the female for some time does not leave the nest, caring mother warms her offspring, and the father is engaged in feeding the family.

By the beginning of August, after 60 days, the young chicks acquire plumage and slowly leave the nest, but at first they do not fly far away. The family continues to hold together until the end of August. With the onset of autumn, young individuals are the first to start the seasonal flight, and by mid-September adult birds will fly away.

Video: Eagle Dwarf (Aquila pennata)