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Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

The Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 824 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Accipitriformes
  3. Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
  4. Genus Hieraaetus
  5. Species pennatus

Where it lives

Southwestern Europe and northwestern Africa to central Asia and northern India; also South Africa

Quick facts

Weight
824 g
Family
Accipitridae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Booted Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.

Migration

The Booted Eagle is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL sw Europe and nw Africa to c Asia and n India; also South Africa.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 824 g, with a wing length of about 36.2 cm and a tail of around 19.8 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 6.1 million km².

Songs & calls

Booted Eagle — Call

Recorded by Albert Lastukhin Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Booted Eagle?

The Booted Eagle is a large bird that weighs around 824 g.

Where does the Booted Eagle live?

The Booted Eagle is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL sw Europe and nw Africa to c Asia and n India; also South Africa, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Booted Eagle belong to?

The Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.

What does the Booted Eagle eat?

The Booted Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.

Does the Booted Eagle migrate?

The Booted Eagle is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Booted Eagle endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Booted Eagle make?

1 real field recording of the Booted Eagle — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Booted Eagle's range?

The Booted Eagle has a mapped global range of about 6.1 million km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

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A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.

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