Booted Eagle

Fairly common resident and summer visitor. A small eagle of buzzard proportions. Occurs in two colour morph: dark brown (a) and white or buffy (b), the latter most common. At rest, buffy wing coverts show as a broad bar on the folded wing; white shoulder-patch diagnostic. In flight, a translucent wedge shape is visible on the inner primaries. upper wing pattern similar to Milvus kites (Yellow-billed Kite; Black Kite) with a pale panel across the inner wing coverts, but tail not forked. Immature similar to adult. Flying conspicuously at low altitudes in both hilly, open country woodland and semi-desert. Avoiding dense forest. Local pop. breeding occurs mainly in the montane cliff regions of south western South Africa and Namibia escarpment. Non-breeding visitors from n Africa and Europe range, more widely occur within the region during the summer months. 0,5-1,2 kg.