adult; large body and beak; tawny-brown plumage (Spain; 2006-06-10)
Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti
Native Range:
Eurasia
Notes:
this threatened species is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula (especially central and southwestern Spain), with a population now numbering less than 500 adults; it is being intensively managed and bred in captivity in attempts to restore this magnificent species to regions from which it had been extirpated; preys on small and mid-sized animals such as rodents, hares, and crows; non-migratory; formerly considered a race of the Asian Imperial Eagle but recently raised to full-species status based on details of morphology, behavior, and molecular genetics.
huge talons; yellow cere and gape; beige leggings (Spain; 2006-06-10)