Order:
Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Circaetus gallicus
Short-toed Eagle / Águila culebrera
Maximum size: 70 cm / 180 cm wingspan
Habitat
They prefer the clear spaces in the surrounding of forests. They can
be seen up to 2,000 m of altitude in the Iberian Peninsula. They feed on
reptiles, particularly Malpolon monspesulanus Montpellier Snakes, Elaphe
scalaris Ladder
Snakes, and Coluber hippocrepis Horseshoe Wipsnakes, although
they also eat lizards, toads and even partridges.
They are abundant in the migration corridors.
They can be seen in reserves, forest and lagoon boundaries. They are
regular visitors of the dunes.