Behaviour Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle

1 behaviour

1.1 breeding
1.2 diet

1.2.1 hunting technique

behaviour

wedge-tailed eagles territorial, top-order predators large home ranges evenly dispersed in suitable habitats.

breeding

wedge-tailed eagles pair life , remain throughout year. when courting , pair-bonding, perform spectacular aerial displays. courtship starts in late june, time onwards there gradual increase in aerial displays , nest repairing behaviour peaks in late august. during august, month prior egg laying, nest liberally adorned , lined greenery. behaviour continues throughout breeding , may exhibited single adults in territories.

one or 2 eggs (usually one) laid in late august or september. eggs appear whitish-grey few brown spots , approximately 73 58 millimetres (2.9 in × 2.3 in) in size. female incubate eggs 43-45 days , during time fed male.

for first few weeks after hatching chick fed female. 6 8 weeks of age chick capable of feeding , both parents bring food direct nest. chicks take 90 days fledge, after remain near nest several weeks. juveniles dependent on parents food @ least 3 months , may accompany parent birds until next breeding season. juvenile birds disperse after abandoning parents.

diet

wedge-tailed eagles carnivorous birds of prey hunt on wide range of habitats, including open heath, pasture , grassland, may scavenge on carrion when available. feed on rabbits, hares, birds (such nativehen), wallabies , possums. immature birds lack hunting experience particularly dependant on carrion source of food, although adults feed heavily on carrion during winter. in rural tasmania, diet of a. a. fleayi has been recorded consist of rabbits, hares , cats (which comprise approximately 45% of items consumed); wallabies, possums, echidnas , wombats (approximately 30%); birds (approximately 10%); sheep , goats (approximately 7.5%); , reptiles (approximately 5%) (the remaining 2.5% of diet composed of other items).

hunting technique

the wedge-tailed eagle captures of live prey sallying. typically involves bird launching perch , attacking prey on ground or, less frequently, in flight. hunting takes place during day, , prey eaten captured, except during breeding season when of food taken nest , fed young. eagles typically not bring carrion nestlings consume.

although capable of killing prey several times own body weight, prey items taken smaller (approximately 25% or less of eagle s mass). wedge-tailed eagles cannot carry more 1/3 of own body weight.