EAGLES HAWKS 75 



VII. ORDER: ACCIPITRES. SUBORDER: FALCONES 



(1) Family : Buteonidce. (a) Subfamily : Aquilince Eagles 



151. Golden-eagle [Aquila chrysaetus chrysaetus (Linnseus)]. 

 Stationary in N. Scotland and in one or two places in Ireland. 

 Occasional wanderer elsewhere. 



Bird. Length 32-36 in. Female the larger. Recognised 

 by its large size and general dark brown coloration. The head 

 and nape shade from brown to tawny, the rest of the upper- 

 parts are glossed more or less purple. A greyish band across 

 the tail. Beak hooked. Legs feathered. Toes yellow. 

 Young birds have the tail whitish with broad terminal band of 

 dark brown. The rarer and slightly larger whitetailed-eagle is 

 distinguished at all ages by the fact that its leg is not 

 feathered. Only the adult has the tail white. 



Nest. Usually on trees or ledges of crags. A mass of sticks 

 lined with softer material such as grass, heather, moss. 



Eggs. Usually 2. Whitish, variously blotched, spotted, and 

 marbled with shades of reddish-brown, and underlying pale 

 violet ; also unmarked white. Varieties with yellowish and 

 purple-grey ground. Av. size, 3*02x2*33 in. Laying begins 

 March-April. One brood. 



(1) Family : Buteonidce. (b) Subfamily : Buteonince Buzzards 



152. Buzzard [Buteo buteo buteo (Linnaeus) ; Buteo vulgaris 

 Leach]. More or less stationary in the wilder and hillier 

 districts of Great Britain. Irregular visitor elsewhere. 



Bird. Length 21-23 in., the female being the larger. 

 Beak hooked. Coloration variable, but recognised by the 

 general brown hue. There is a varying amount of white on 

 the breast, which may be either barred or striated with brown. 

 Tail barred dusky. Beak hooked, legs yellow and scaled, 

 the latter distinguishing this species from the rarer rough- 

 legged-buzzard, which has the legs feathered to the toes, the 

 base of the tail and tail-coverts white, and a creamy-white 

 head and neck streaked brown. 



Nest. Cliffs, rarely trees now. Mass of sticks and other 

 rough material lined with softer material such as grass, 

 fresh leaves, &c. 



Eggs. Usually 2-3. Whitish, more or less blotched with 

 varying shades of red-brown or black-brown, and underlying 

 violet ; also bluish-white unmarked. Av. size, 2*15 x 1-72 in. 

 Laying begins in April. 



