Liberec, North Bohemia, May 31 (CTK) – The Zoological Garden in Liberec is the first in the world to have bred the booted eagle after ten years of failed attempts, its spokeswoman Barbara Tesarova told CTK on Wednesday.
She said zoological gardens currently keep 17 birds which in the wild live in an open landscape close to a forest at the altitude of 2,000 metres.
The bird rarely flies to the Czech Republic, however, irregular nesting is not ruled out. In the whole of Europe about 5,200 pairs, including ten to 15 in Central Europe, have been registered.
The Liberec young, born on May 25, was first placed in a special incubator, but now it seems to be doing well and it has been returned to the nest.
“Immediately after the young arrived in the nest, the female started to feed it, which is not common for birds of prey,” zoologist Jan Havel said.
Visitors will only see the young in a couple of months.
The booted eagle is the smallest European eagle with a wing spread of 110 to 132 centimetres. It feeds on medium-size birds and also mammals, reptiles and insects. It lives up to 12 years in captivity.
