Short-toed Eagle
(Circaetus gallicus)
Quetzalcoat, with piercing yellow eyes.
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