Pages

Monday, April 24, 2023

Eleonora's Falcon - a very spectacular bird, and accompanying story

Eleonora's Falcon is something extraordinary.
Photo by Charles J. Sharp This species nests around the Mediterranean. But it delays nesting until early autumn. Why? Because the falcon's young are fed on the abundant fall migrant passerines moving through the Mediterranean region in autumn migration. Something else special about it: it is named after Eleonora of Sardinia: the "national heroine of Sardinia, who in 1392, under the jurisdiction conferred by the Carta de Logu, became the first ruler in history to grant protection to hawk and falcon nests against illegal hunters.[4][5][6]" (Wikipedia)