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Occasional in southern Europe in winter but most move to tropical Africa and follow the major migration routes Gibraltar, the Bosphorus and Bor�ka in Turkey. In autumn this movement takes place in early August to mid-October with the peak in late September-early October. The return movement is in March-May, peaking in late March. Small numbers of birds also use the Sicily-Cap Bon route. Occasionally seen north of breeding range in Continental Europe, reaching the Netherlands and records are now annual or almost so in Sweden and Finland and a very rare vagrant to Norway. There is a single British record from the Isles of Scilly when one toured the islands for a few days in October 1999. | Occasional in southern Europe in winter but most move to tropical Africa and follow the major migration routes Gibraltar, the Bosphorus and Bor�ka in Turkey. In autumn this movement takes place in early August to mid-October with the peak in late September-early October. The return movement is in March-May, peaking in late March. Small numbers of birds also use the Sicily-Cap Bon route. Occasionally seen north of breeding range in Continental Europe, reaching the Netherlands and records are now annual or almost so in Sweden and Finland and a very rare vagrant to Norway. There is a single British record from the Isles of Scilly when one toured the islands for a few days in October 1999. | ||
| − | Also breeds in sub-Saharan Africa where sometimes considered separate species. | + | Also breeds in sub-Saharan Africa where sometimes considered separate species. Beaudouin's Snake Eagle breeds in a narrow band across tropical Africa from Senegal and Gambia east to western Ethiopia, north Uganda and west Kenya. Black-breasted Snake Eagle occurs from Ethiopia and western Somalia south to Tanzania and from there east to Angola and south to the Cape. |
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
Up to four races have been recognised: <i>gallicus</i> in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and India, <i>beaudouini</i> in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and pectoralis from Ethiopia to the Cape. Birds from eastern Asia have sometimes been separated as <i>heptneri</i>. Both <i>beaudouini</i> and <i>pectoralis</i> are often treated as full species but all three form mixed pairs where ranges overlap | Up to four races have been recognised: <i>gallicus</i> in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and India, <i>beaudouini</i> in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and pectoralis from Ethiopia to the Cape. Birds from eastern Asia have sometimes been separated as <i>heptneri</i>. Both <i>beaudouini</i> and <i>pectoralis</i> are often treated as full species but all three form mixed pairs where ranges overlap | ||
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==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
{{GSearch|Circaetus+gallicus}} | {{GSearch|Circaetus+gallicus}} | ||
| − | + | *[http://www.orientalbirdimages.org/birdimages.php?action=birdspecies&Bird_ID=837&Bird_Image_ID=40&Bird_Family_ID=96 View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages] | |
[[Category:Birds]] | [[Category:Birds]] | ||
Revision as of 19:42, 2 September 2007
- Circaetus gallicus
Identification
Distribution
Europe, Africa and Asia. Breeds in North-West Africa and much of Spain, patchy distribution in central and southern France, the Alps and Italy, and in scattered pockets east to the Black Sea. More widespread in Greece, the southern Balkans and the Caucasus, and from eastern Poland and the Ukraine eastwards. Widespread in Turkey with small numbers breeding in Syria, Jordan and Israel and range extends eastwards to northern China and south to southern India.
Occasional in southern Europe in winter but most move to tropical Africa and follow the major migration routes Gibraltar, the Bosphorus and Bor�ka in Turkey. In autumn this movement takes place in early August to mid-October with the peak in late September-early October. The return movement is in March-May, peaking in late March. Small numbers of birds also use the Sicily-Cap Bon route. Occasionally seen north of breeding range in Continental Europe, reaching the Netherlands and records are now annual or almost so in Sweden and Finland and a very rare vagrant to Norway. There is a single British record from the Isles of Scilly when one toured the islands for a few days in October 1999.
Also breeds in sub-Saharan Africa where sometimes considered separate species. Beaudouin's Snake Eagle breeds in a narrow band across tropical Africa from Senegal and Gambia east to western Ethiopia, north Uganda and west Kenya. Black-breasted Snake Eagle occurs from Ethiopia and western Somalia south to Tanzania and from there east to Angola and south to the Cape.
Taxonomy
Up to four races have been recognised: gallicus in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and India, beaudouini in sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and pectoralis from Ethiopia to the Cape. Birds from eastern Asia have sometimes been separated as heptneri. Both beaudouini and pectoralis are often treated as full species but all three form mixed pairs where ranges overlap
Habitat
In Eurasia prefers warm and dry areas where reptile prey is most abundant. Often in hilly country with woodland or scattered trees, heathlands and maquis, desert edges and rocky terrain. Nests in trees. In Africa a bird of open plains and lightly wooded country with Black-breasted Snake Eagle also found in deserts in south-west Africa.
Behaviour
Bird Song
<flashmp3>Circaetus gallicus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
