Short-toed Snake Eagle
A species of Snake-eagles Scientific name : Circaetus gallicus Genus : Snake-eagles
Short-toed Snake Eagle, A species of Snake-eagles
Botanical name: Circaetus gallicus
Genus: Snake-eagles
Content
Description General Info
Description
These are relatively large snake eagles. Adults are 59 to 70 cm (23 to 28 in) long with a 162 to 195 cm (5 ft 4 in to 6 ft 5 in) wingspan and weigh 1.2–2.3 kg (2.6–5.1 lb), an average weight for the species is about 1.7 kg (3.7 lb). They can be recognised in the field by their predominantly white underside, the upper parts being greyish brown. The chin, throat and upper breast are a pale, earthy brown. The tail has 3 or 4 bars. Additional indications are an owl-like rounded head, brightly yellow eyes and lightly barred under wing. The short-toed snake eagle spends more time on the wing than do most members of its genus. It favours soaring over hill slopes and hilltops on updraughts, and it does much of its hunting from this position at heights of up to 500 m (1,600 ft). When quartering open country it frequently hovers like a kestrel. When it soars it does so on flattish wings. 
Size
70 cm
Colors
Brown
Black
Gray
White
Life Expectancy
17 years
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Short-toed Snake Eagle predominantly hunts reptiles, especially snakes and lizards. Occasionally tackles small mammals, birds, and large insects. Notably, short-toed Snake Eagle engages in ground confrontations with larger snakes.
Habitat
Short-toed Snake Eagle thrives in diverse habitats, predominantly in warm temperate and tropical regions. These birds are typically found in open woodlands, semi-deserts with stony and sparsely vegetated areas, pastures, and scrubs requiring tree cover for nesting. Their preferred environments range from plains and hilly regions to mountains, hunting up to and above the tree line. Although short-toed Snake Eagle can occur up to heights of 2300 meters, they are mainly prevalent from sea level to 1200 meters. During the winter, short-toed Snake Eagle inhabits edges of deserts, dry thornbush areas, and well-wooded savannahs.
Dite type
Ophiophagous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Behavior
Its prey is mostly reptiles, mainly snakes, but also some lizards. Sometimes they become entangled with larger snakes and battle on the ground. Occasionally, they prey on small mammals up to the size of a rabbit, and rarely birds and large insects. This eagle is generally very silent. On occasions, it emits a variety of musical whistling notes. When breeding, it lays only one egg. It can live up to 17 years. The short-toed snake eagle has suffered a steep decline in numbers and range in Europe and is now rare and still decreasing in several countries due to changes in agriculture and land use. It needs protection. In the middle and far eastern part of its range, this species is not yet threatened.
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Scientific Classification
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