Booted Eagle - hazel-eyed visitor to Cornwall is a raptor that likes to capture the headlines

                                                

Booted Eagle - illustration from Birds of Europe (1837) by John Gould

THE continuing presence in Cornwall of a long-staying Booted Eagle has delighted birders because it only the third British and the first for almost quarter of  a century. 

It is unlikely that many living birders (unless those of very long tooth) will remember two other headline-grabbing raptors of the same species.

These were nicknamed 'Pedro' and 'Portugese Jack' and they both featured in the newspapers after escaping from London Zoo - the first in December, 1935, and the second in November, 1936

Of the latter, one reporter wrote: "He was last seen near the BBC HQ - perhaps he wants to on the air as well as in it!"

In Vol I of Birds of Europe (1837), John Gould wrote: "The Booted Eagle may be regarded as the smallest of the true eagles, and one of the most beautiful of its tribe.

"A casual glance would, however, almost lead to confound it with the Buzzards, and especially with that group which is feathered to the toes: it is smaller in size than any European species of Buzzard, nevertheless.

"When we examine its beak, strong tarsus and powerful claws, together with the long lanceolate feathers on the top of the head and neck, the great breadth and power of the shoulders, and the shortness of the tail, we at once recognise the characteristic features of the genuine eagles. 

"The eastern portions of Europe and the adjacent districts of Asia constitute its native habitat whence it migrates annually as far as Austria, Moravia and the eastern parts of Germany. 

"A fine specimen of the male of this species, which was killed in the Austrian territories, was placed at our disposal by Baron de Feldegg, and of this bird our plate is a careful representation. 

"In an interesting collection lately received by the Zoological Society from Trebizond, we observed a fine example of this species in a younger and consequently in a somewhat different state of plumage from that which we have figured which is fully adult.

"Its food consists of small quadrupeds, birds and insects. 

"M. Temminck informs us that it builds its nest in Hungary, near the Carpathian mountains. Its eggs are not known.

"The adult has the top of the head light yellowish brown, each feather being lanceolate in form and having a dash of dark brown; the middle of the back and upper surface dark greyish brown; at the insertion of the wings is a patch, consisting of eight or ten feathers, of a pure white.

"A broad stripe of light yellowish brown extends from the shoulders across the wing to the secondaries which, with the quills, are deep blackish brown.

"The tail is deep greyish brown, each feather having a lighter tip; under surface white, with the exception of the chest which has the stem of each feather slightly dashed with brown.

"The cere and claws are yellow; the iries are hazel.

"The young differs from the adult in having narrow transverse bars of sandy yellow across the breast and thighs."

First seen in October, the Cornish bird has been regularly sighted in the Marazion area ever since. Some say there are two different examples of the same species.

Whether one or two, the flight to our shores has been from southern or Eastern Europe, with a diet consisting of rabbits,  other small mammals and possibly some birds.

Happily, the bird currently being seen seems to be in good condition and capable of fending for itself in scraps with the area's resident Buzzards.