Habitat and geographic distribution: Wide variety of habitats including woodlands, forests, heaths, marshes or open fields. Europe, Asia, North and East Africa.
Diet: Rodents, rabbits and other sick or dead mammals. Can also ingest insects, reptiles and small birds.
Reproduction: Nest in tall trees and rocky cliffs. Can use the nests of other species. Lay 2-4 eggs that are incubated for 33-35 days. Chicks leave the nest in 48-62 days and become independent at 15 weeks.
Behaviour: They are gregarious and form small groups. Before mating, the male performs acrobatics and spectacular dives, delivering material for the nest construction to the female in mid-air.
Conservation status: Least Concern (LC), CITES Annex II
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Length: 48-56 cm
Wingspan: 1.10-1.30 m
Weight: 550-850 g (males) and 700-1200 g (females)
Maximum lifespan in the wild: 28 years