 The Little Eagle is the world's smallest "true" or "booted" eagle. Although it is not visible in the picture, a "booted" eagle's legs are feathered all the way down the tibiotarsus to the foot. Little Eagles vary in their plumage from a dark, almost uniform red-golden brown through to streaked and mottled shades of brown to cream with red-golden brown on the wings and head and light golden brown mottling on the wings. The dimorphism between the sexes can be quite marked in this species: females can weigh around a kilogram or more, while the average weight of the male is around 630g. Little Eagles are found throughout mainland Australia and New Guinea. They prey primarily upon feral rabbits and other terrestrial animals such as reptiles and small wallabies. They will also feed on carrion and occasionally take birds. |