Short-toed Eagle

(Circaetus gallicus)

Quetzalcoat, with piercing yellow eyes.

  • Brave raptor specialised in hunting snakes, scarce prey which is difficult to hunt and very aggressive

  • Can stay in the air for endless hours

Short-toed eagles have small, protected claws, to hunt snakes so that they cannot escape. They are covered with hard scales to protect them from snake bites. They also have large heads with eyes looking straight ahead, for 3D vision.

Quetzalcoatl was an eagle that was admitted in April 2021 thanks to the collaboration of the Guardia Civil. At the hospital, the veterinarians saw that he had an old fracture with pain on palpation. In addition, it had diminished sensitivity and mobility in the right claw, as well as a wound. He was also dehydrated, thin and the plumage on his right wing was badly damaged.

After much care in the infirmary and the rehabilitation department of GREFA, with the help of physiotherapy, she was released again in October of the same year.

More information in the following document:  Meet Quetzalcoatl 

Short-toed eagle route in kml format: Quetzalcoalt’s track

See the didactic material in Educational Resources_Session 3

Learn more about Quetzalcoat´s  journey in this video

                                                    Migratory Route of Quetzalcoatl in 2021