The imperial eagle is a large and beautiful bird of prey. It is considered a French symbol because during the Napoleonic Wars, a bronze figure of an imperial eagle was carried by Napoleon’s Army. Napoleon was inspired by the Roman imperial eagle that was used the same way. Each department of France was given a special standard with the little statue of the eagle sitting on top. It was supposed to inspire pride, and soldiers were bound to protect it. The real-life bird is even more regal and beautiful than its bronze statues.
The Eastern imperial eagle is a very close cousin to the Spanish imperial eagle or Iberian imperial eagle. This is a smaller eagle that only lives in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. It is also much darker than the Eastern imperial eagle. For years, the two birds were thought to be the same species, but now they are considered only related. They are both beautiful powerful raptors that are incredibly vulnerable due to habitat loss.
Here are some interesting facts about imperial eagles:
• They have dark brown feathers on their bodies and cream- or white-colored heads and necks.
• These birds are common in Eastern Europe and Asia.
• They grow between 72 and 83 centimeters long.
• Males have a wingspan of 185 to 205 centimeters.
• Female birds have a wingspan of 200-220 centimeters.
• In the wild they usually live for 26 years.
• They can survive in many different habitats. They live in forests, steppes and even deserts.
• They migrate and spend the winter in northeast Africa and the Middle East.
• A female usually lays two or three eggs at a time.
• It is the second-largest eagle species in Europe.
• They mate for life.
• It is a carnivore and will eat small mammals, reptiles, snakes and ducks.
• These birds help farmers by eating mice and rats that would damage crops and poisonous snakes that could hurt people.
