
Photo: (c) jk6000, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Aquila rapax
Diet
Carrion, and active predation on relatively large and diverse prey; kleptoparasitism
Habitat
Open habitat; nests in the crown of a tree
Clutch size
1–3 eggs
Size
58–75cm; typically about 65cm
The tawny eagle is a large bird of prey, 58–75 cm long, typically about 65 cm, with a fairly long neck, a long deep bill with a gape line level with the eye, moderately long wings with pronounced fingers and a slightly rounded to almost square-ended, shortish tail more like a vulture's. The cere and feet are yellow at all ages (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is a resident breeder that lays one to three eggs in a stick nest, most commonly in the crown of a tree, and can reach about 16 years. It is perhaps the most highly opportunistic of the booted eagles, often scavenging on carrion or robbing other carnivores, but is also a bold and active predator. Precipitous declines have been detected through its range (Wikipedia, general species account).