Short-toed Eagles’ arrival at Italy in 2010
The first Short-toed Eagle in Maremma /map/ was observed on the 5th of March in Ansedonia (Grosseto). On the 14th of March 1 pair was in its nesting territory in Tolfa hills (Roma)/map/: the male was performing a “wing flap display”. The weather now is fine but the temperature is low and approaches zero degree during the night. No snakes at all, maybe the eagles are able to survive without food for few days or to rely on toads?
Categories: Maremma Park, PETRETTI Francesco, Photos, Western Central Italy.
Thank you. These looked like two birds of roughly similar size – flying at some distance apart – so I assume two adults. Our area is intensely wooded, predominantly with oak, chestnut and pine. We don’t see many holm oaks in the natural forests but we do have them in our garden! What is the hunting range of such birds – ie furthest approximate distance from where they nest?
Dear Friends, the area lies inside the breeding range of Short toed Eagle in Italy, which nests with scattered pairs from Liguria to Calabria in hilly areas. The specimens you spotted were probably the adults of a pair or one adult with a young which is known to fledge in the first half August. Look for vast woodland with oaks, pine trees and especially holm oak which are suitable nest trees.
We have a house at approx 600 slm in the hills above Cortona close to the Umbrian border. We spotted a pair of short-toed eagles circling the valley on August 5th 2010. The birds were authoritatively identified (from their profiles in my rather grainy photos) by a leading wildlife photographer. Have there been any other sightings in this part of Tuscany?