Fauna
Bird

Steppe Eagle

Aquila nipalensis

Steppe 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
Steppe Eagle reference1 / 7
(c) Christoph Moning, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christoph Moning · cc-by
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EndangeredConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXEndangeredRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySpotted 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
Classification
  1. FamilyAccipitridae
  2. SpeciesAquila nipalensis
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. 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.
Related species
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