6

Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) Alternate name(s): "Iberian Imperial Eagle", "Spanish Eagle", "Adalbert's Eagle" German name(s): "Spanischer Kaiseradler" Size: 72-85 cm; wing span 1.8-2.2 m Body mass: 3.2-3.9 kg Wing loading [g/cm2]: ca. 0.56

Europe: Family Group 6 Family Group 6 Table Lammergeier Eurasian Black Vulture Griffon Vulture Rueppell's Vulture Egyptian Vulture Osprey White-tailed Eagle Golden Eagle Spanish Imperial Eagle Short-toed Snake Eagle Bonelli's Eagle Booted Eagle Greater Spotted Eagle Red Kite Black Kite European Honey Buzzard Common Buzzard Rough-legged Buzzard Long-legged Buzzard Western Marsh Harrier Hen Harrier Montagu's Harrier Pallid Harrier Black-winged Kite Eurasian Goshawk Eurasian Sparrowhawk Gyrfalcon Lanner Falcon Peregrine Falcon Common Kestrel Lesser Kestrel Red-footed Falcon Merlin Eurasian Hobby Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Spanish Imperial Eagles are large eagles. The sexes are alike, although females are both larger and heavier than males. The adult plumage (both front and back) is mostly dark-grey (near-black), with dark-brown edge lining on the upperwing coverts. The back of the head, from the supercilia backwards, and hindneck are white, while the inner tail is light-grey. Also the inner wings have a white leading edge and prominent "landing light" patches. The outer tail is dark-grey. The underwing coverts are dark-grey, with slightly lighter grey flight feathers. Spanish Imperial Eagles have pale irises. Their strong bill is light-grey with a dark tip and yellow cere. The legs are completely feathered; the feet are yellow. Juveniles are rufous-brown throughout, except for the flight feathers, which are grey, with white tips and with inconspicuous grey wing panels. In flight the white tips on the wing feathers show as neat white bars, once of which is the trailing edge. Immature Spanish Imperial Eagles, through 5 moults, become gradually darker from the juvenile phase, with mottled and streaked parts coalescing successively into dark-grey plumage. Sub-adults have a dark upper body and dark carpal patches on the underwings.

Taxonomy, classification See Spanish Imperial Eagle at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Spanish Imperial Eagle is available HERE . Spanish Imperial Eagles are endemic to the Iberian peninsula. Their range extends from Gibraltar in the South in a broad swathe into the central parts of Spain and beyond. There are some records of the species in the North of the peninsula as well, up to the Pyrenees. They usually avoid the Mediterranean coastal areas as well as Portugal and north-western Spain (Galicia). Spanish Imperial Eagles have a preference for mountainous terrain.

Sightings Click here for sighting information J. Pires reports finding a Spanish Imperial Eagle near Mora, Evora, Portugal, in October 2013, and again in January 2025. Another was spotted at Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, in February 2023. All sighting and photographic information presented on this page has kindly been contributed by J. Pires.

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

Close-up frontal/ventral view of an adult Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Near-frontal view of a Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Lateral/ventral view of a Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a fourth-year immature Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2013]

Lateral view of a fourth-year immature Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2013]

Dorsal view of a fourth-year immature Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2013]

Ventral view of a fourth-year immature Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2013]

Ventral view of a fourth-year immature Spanish Imperial Eagle under attack by a Red Kite (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2013]

Frontal view of a juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle looking sideways (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2025]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle launching itself into the air (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2025]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle launching itself into the air (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2025]

Frontal view of a juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2025]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2025]

Lateral view of a juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Ventral view of a juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Ventral view of a juvenile Spanish Imperial Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sao Marcos da Ataboeira, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2023]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Throughout their range, in central to southern Spain, Spanish Imperial Eagles are largely sedentary; only outside the breeding season there may be local or regional dispersive movements, e.g. to lower altitudes.

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.