In this day and age we’re witnessing the height southward migration of Booted (Hieraaetus pennatus) and Brief-toed Snake (Circaetus gallicus) Eagles over the Strait of Gibraltar. Those are the 2 primary species, with over 30 thousand of the previous and round 20 thousand of the latter crossing in an issue of a couple of weeks. Those birds are headed for south of the Sahara, spending the wintry weather months principally within the Sahel.
Each are limited via the character in their hovering flight, being compelled to go between the continents the place the ocean crossings are shortest. The Brief-toed Snake Eagle is especially prone. Contemporary satellite tv for pc monitoring research have printed some sudden twists to this tale. Brief-toed Snake Eagles from southern Italy transfer north within the autumn, heading for the French Mediterranean coast, then south in opposition to the Strait of Gibraltar. Juveniles that you should be artful via shifting south-west into Sicily finally end up trapped via the ocean and stay caught over the wintry weather, and ultimately perish.
As we’d be expecting, this migration is numerically ruled via birds of the yr, which supplies us an unbelievable alternative to look at birds in juvenile plumage. We received’t get this throughout the go back migration within the spring. Those eagles go continuously in just right climate, peaking overdue morning. With robust easterly winds, which might be commonplace within the Strait of Gibraltar, they transfer up and down the coast, exploring imaginable crossing issues. They finally end up going again into the hinterland the place they relaxation and even attempt to hunt. I’ve observed migrating Booted Eagles looking Collared Doves (Sterptopelia decaocto) and Blackbirds (Turdus merula) in gardens inside the Town of Gibraltar!
Day after today, the eagles repeat the operation, best this time they’re joined via new arrivals from the north. A number of days of unhealthy winds produces impressive gatherings of eagles. Many are interested in the Rock of Gibraltar the place the concentrations in overdue morning are impressive, with masses at anyone time. Just about all go back north, the winds combating a crossing. Many inadvertently stray into Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) territory the place they have got to undergo the extra danger of competitive falcons telling you that you just’re no longer welcome.
Those are two the principle eagles that we see, they’re extremely migratory in spite of everything, however from time to time we get different species appearing up; those are most often immatures or juveniles which might be dispersing and which do go into Morocco. Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata) is essentially the most widespread however, with expanding numbers because the inhabitants recovers, Spanish Imperial Eagles (Aquila adalberti) additionally display up. When you’re truly fortunate you may even get the biggest and maximum tough of all of them – Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). All in all, a good time for eagle-watching within the Strait of Gibraltar.
