This species feeds mainly on mammals, medium-size birds and reptiles (Del Hoyo 1994, Rocamora 1994, Snow & Perrins 1998). Its most frequent preys are the European wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, the Red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa, two species of pigeons (Columba livia and Columba palumbus), corvids and the Ocellated lizard Timon lepidus (Cheylan 1977, Pais 1996, Fráguas 1999).

In the northeast region of Portugal, the Bonelli’s eagle is mainly ornithophage since about 52% of its diet is composed by other birds, especially the family Columbidae and the Red-legged partridge (Fráguas 1999). The remaining percentage, 34% is relative to lagomorphs and other mammals and the final 12% to reptiles, being the Ocellated lizard the most important prey, followed by snakes such as the Montpellier snake Malpolon monspessulanus and the Horseshoe Whip snake Coluber hipocrepis (Fráguas 2000).