Booted Eagle; Águila Calzada

Small, buzzard-sized bird of prey. It occurs in pale and dark forms but its shape and proportions help identify it. It is typical of wellwooded, hot countryside in relatively lowland areas, avoiding the moister northwestern parts of Europe. Unlike the Buzzard, it is a summer visitor to Europe. It feeds on reptiles, small birds, and small mammals on ground, often after very fast, near vertical stoop from considerable height.