An Eastern Imperial eagle roosted in Malta on Monday night, a first for the rare species.

A birdwatcher spotted the eagle over Buskett, Birdlife Malta said yesterday in a statement.

The bird, also known as Aquila heliacal, sported a satellite tracking device and was thought to have originated from a conservation project in Austria. The eagles normally breed in Eastern Europe and Asia and migrate over Balkan countries and the Middle East, Birdlife said in a statement.

“Although they have a massive wing span, of up to two metres, they normally avoid long stretches of open water and do not cross over Mediterranean islands.”

The organisation said it had alerted the Administrative Law Enforcement Unit of the Malta Police Force to the presence of the eagle and urged people to keep a look out for the rare bird and alert police of any illegal hunting.

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