י129) עיט שמש

Eastern Imperial Eagle
Eastern Imperial Eagle
Eastern Imperial Eagle










Aquila heliaca
Aquila heliaca
Aquila heliaca



:עיט שמש
שחום, הקודקוד והעורף צהבהבים, קטן במקצת
. מעיט הסלעים הספרדי הדומה לו
, בית גידולו עמקים ושיפולי הרים מיוערים, מישורים
. שדות, ערבות וביצות. מקנן על צוקים
. בארץ עובר אורח וחורף נדיר
... נתיב לא ידעו עיט ... איוב כח' 7
Subspecies and Distribution.
Aquila heliaca C Europe and Turkey to Mongolia. Winters S to E Africa, Arabia, India and China. םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם םםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםםם
Descriptive notes.
70-80 cm,2400-4500 g wingspan 180-220 cm.
Overall dark brown, but crown, nap, sides of head and neck have pale tawny buff lanceolate feathers producing a pale patch.
White shoulder patch, much smaller than in A. adalberti. Immature starts pale brown with variable dark streaking, and blackish flight-feathers, passes through darker.
Habitat.
In plains of C and SE Europe, bred on old isolated trees, but has subsequently retreated to large forests in mountains, as result of persecution and habitat alteration.
Hunts in open areas.
Food and Feeding.
Medium sized mammals, the main prey are susliks and hamsters. Birds taken in small proportions, carrion also eaten, especially in winter and during migration.
Prey caught mainly on ground by perch hunting or by soaring.
Breeding
Mar-Apr. Solitary, large sticks often 1-1.5 m deameter, lined with green sticks, but also other materials. Usually built on tree, very rarely on ground.
2-3 eggs, incubation 43 days, Chicks have white down.
Sexual maturity at 5-6 years. Record of 56 years in captivity.
Movements.
Mostly migratory, migrate to Turkey, Iran, Israel, Iraq, Egypt and Arabia, also to Pakistan, India, Laos and Vietnam.
Leaves breeding grounds mid Sep.
Status and Conservation.
Rare. Rapid decline in Europe since World War II, total world population now down to a few thousand pairs (possibly 2000). Formerly very common in many.
Israel. In Israel the subspecies Aquila heliaca. Quite rare to scarce passage migrant, fairly rare winter visitor.

Aquila heliaca
(in Israel)

Aquila heliaca

Aquila heliaca

Aquila heliaca

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