I Collect Matches

Back to gallery
España Series

Águila perdicera

Period

1970-1980

Águila perdicera (1 de 3)
Águila perdicera (2 de 3)
Águila perdicera (3 de 3)
03

About this matchbox

Not all matchboxes sold a hotel or a landscape. Some aimed to protect nature, like this series on "Spanish Fauna in Danger of Extinction". This box, dedicated to the Águila Perdicera, denounced an old custom summed up in a saying as brief as it is cruel: «Bird of passage, shot down».

The Águila Perdicera is one of the most spectacular and rare birds of prey in Spanish fauna. Of medium size and great agility, it stands out for its powerful flight and its skill in hunting in rugged terrains, feeding mainly on rabbits, partridges, and other birds. It inhabits mountainous areas and cliffs, where it builds its nests and usually remains faithful to its territory for many years. However, it has suffered a significant decline due to human persecution, habitat loss, and accidents with power lines. Today, it remains a protected species and a symbol of the fight for nature conservation in Spain.

The box uses the scientific name Hieraëtus fasciatus, which was replaced by Aquila fasciata in the 1990s. Based on this information and the animals in this series that were cataloged as endangered in the 1970s-80s (Iberian lynx, imperial eagle, brown bear, etc.), I dare to venture that it is from that time interval.

Research clues

/ 02

Sources