A Rare and Regal Presence on the Iberian Peninsula
The Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti), also known as the Iberian imperial eagle, is one of the world’s rarest and most impressive birds of prey. Endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, this eagle is instantly recognizable by its striking dark brown plumage, broad white shoulders, and pale golden nape. Once on the brink of extinction, it now stands as a symbol of successful conservation and the wild beauty of southern Spain.
Dunas de Doñana National Park, near Sanlúcar de Barrameda, is among the most important strongholds for this majestic raptor. The park’s vast mosaic of marshes, pine forests, and open woodlands provides the perfect habitat for the eagle to hunt, nest, and raise its young. Here, visitors may be lucky enough to spot an imperial eagle soaring over the dunes or perched high in a cork oak, scanning the landscape with its keen eyes.
The Spanish imperial eagle is a top predator and an apex species in its ecosystem. It feeds primarily on European rabbits, which make up more than half of its diet, but it is also known to hunt water birds, partridges, pigeons, crows, and small mammals. Occasionally, it will take larger prey such as foxes or even waterfowl like greylag geese and white storks. The eagle’s hunting style is dramatic: it glides low over open ground, then dives swiftly to seize its prey with powerful talons.
These eagles are monogamous and highly territorial, often defending large home ranges that include several nesting sites. They build massive nests high in the treetops — usually in cork oaks or pines — adding new material each year until the structure can reach up to 1.5 meters across. Breeding takes place between January and April, with females typically laying two or three eggs. The chicks remain in the nest for about two months but depend on their parents for food and protection for several weeks after fledging.
The Spanish imperial eagle’s presence in Doñana is a sign of the park’s ecological richness and the success of ongoing conservation efforts. Once reduced to just a few dozen pairs in the 1970s, the species has rebounded thanks to habitat protection, rabbit population management, and the reduction of threats such as electrocution on power lines. Still, the eagle remains classified as vulnerable, and its future depends on continued vigilance and care.
The chance to witness the Spanish imperial eagle in flight over the dunes is a rare privilege — a reminder that some of Europe’s wildest and most iconic creatures still thrive just beyond the beach, in the heart of the Mediterranean wilderness.