During a trip to central Spain, I had the chance to watch a Booted Eagle hunting for small birds. It had a special talent for chasing swallows, circling high in the sky before diving at incredible speed to catch them in mid-air. Watching it swiftly maneuvering as it was attacking in free fall was breathtaking. After catching its prey, the Booted Eagle didn’t stop – it ate it while flying, circling lower over the landscape. From my spot on the hilltop, I captured the moments when the eagle was stripping the feathers of the little bird in his claws before consuming it. One of my favorite shots shows the tiny feathers drifting away in the air. Even though the Booted Eagle is the smallest eagle in Europe, it is a skilled hunter, able to survive in many habitats. It is also a long-distance traveler, migrating from Europe and Asia, crossing the Sahara, and spending the winter in Sub-Saharan Africa. Seeing it in action showed me just how amazing and adaptable these birds really are.