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The booted eagle is a small eagle with long flight feathers and a square-shaped tail. It has two colour morphs.
The pale morph has dark grey upperparts with a pale band on the upper wing and white underparts with a rufous wash and darker streaks. The head is pale rufous with streaks. The bill is yellow, and the legs and feet are covered in brown feathers.
The dark morph, which is less common, has dark brown upperparts, a pale yellow tail with dark grey-brown edges, and blackish-brown underparts. The head and neck are pale brown with darker brown streaks. Males and females are similar, but females are larger.
The pale morph resembles the common buzzard but is more eagle-shaped, while the dark morph can be confused with the black kite and marsh harrier.
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The booted eagle feeds on birds, reptiles, and small mammals. It hunts while in flight, scanning the ground for prey before diving (stooping) swiftly with folded wings and outstretched feet.
The booted eagle has a broad range, breeding across southern Europe, north Africa, south Africa, and parts of Asia in wooded, hilly countryside with some open areas. Except for the south African population, which is sedentary, the species migrates in winter to sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia.
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Booted eagle seen at Martin Down NNR on Saturday reported twice