Bird · GBIF taxon 2480513
Steppe Eagle
Aquila nipalensisSteppe eagles are specialized grassland raptors that breed across the vast open plains of Eurasia and migrate thousands of kilometers to winter in Africa and South Asia. Unlike many large eagles that hunt strictly from the air, they frequently stride across the ground or perch on low mounds to snap up ground squirrels, pikas, and beetles. Decimating population trends driven by power line electrocution and habitat loss have made these iconic open-country hunters an urgent conservation priority.
MigratoryRaptor
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
EndangeredConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXEndangeredRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Spotted Souslik
- Pika
- Carrion
Predators
- Golden Eagle
- Eurasian Eagle-Owl
ThreatsElectrocution on utility poles, habitat loss, agricultural poisoning, persecution
HabitatsDry steppes, deserts, semi-deserts, open grasslands, savannas
Life span30–45 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyAccipitridae
- SpeciesAquila nipalensis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Equipped with powerful talons and a sharp beak; observe quietly from a distance.
- What to notice
- Look for a heavy brown raptor with fully feathered legs, a pale throat, a broad yellow gape, and long, rectangular wings in flight.
- Support conservation
- Keep a distance of at least 300 meters from nests and avoid uploading precise coordinates of breeding pairs to public forums.
Responsible observation
- Observation: Scan open fields, fence posts, and utility poles in dry grassland habitats.
- Gape Spotting: Look for its unusually long, wide yellow gape extending past the eyes.
- Nesting Disturbance: Maintain a distance of several hundred meters around ground nests.
Competitor Giles Laurent / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Prey (c) Grzegorz Leśniewski, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Alan Manson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alan Manson · cc-by
Genus Relative (c) Andrew Bazdyrev, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Andrew Bazdyrev · cc-by
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