The Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) is a large bird of prey that belongs to the family Accipitridae. It is about 62-74 cm in length and has a wingspan of 165-190cm. The Steppe Eagle can be found in open dry habitats, such as desert, semi-desert, steppes, or savannah, throughout its range from Romania to Mongolia.

The Steppe Eagle’s Breeding and Nesting Habits

The Steppe Eagle’s breeding and nesting habits are not as well-studied as those of some other eagle species, but it is known to lay 1-3 eggs in a stick nest in a tree. The incubation period begins with the first egg laid, and the eggs are white and freckled with ochre and light-brown spots of differing color intensity and sizes. The shell is thick and coarse-grained, and the size of the eggs is 62.5 – 80.1 x 48.9 – 60.5 mm, on average.

The Steppe Eagle’s Diet

Image source: Steppe Eagle by Fimb

The Steppe Eagle’s diet is largely fresh dead animals of all kinds, but it will also kill rodents and other small mammals up to the size of a rabbit, and birds up to the size of partridges. It will also steal food from other raptors. The Steppe Eagle’s call is a crow-like barking, but it is rather a silent bird except in display.

The Steppe Eagle’s Habitat Preferences

According to a study in Botswana, wintering Steppe Eagles there appeared to be indifferent to land use changes by humans, and in Zambia and Malawi, it was found that the Steppe Eagle was only frequent in high-elevation plateau areas from 370 to 2,400 m (1,210 to 7,870 ft). In Iraq, wintering Steppe Eagles often used dump sites as well as deserts and semi-arid areas, with more steppe, other grassland and mountain slopes used in northern Iraq in winter. In Armenia, Steppe Eagles are apparently frequent in old fields and orchards.

The Steppe Eagle’s Adaptability

The Steppe Eagle has shown some adaptability to human-modified environments, with some populations preferring to utilize dump sites and other human-altered areas for easy access to food. However, other populations still prefer more natural habitats such as wetlands, grasslands, and mountain slopes. This versatility in habitat selection may contribute to the Steppe Eagle’s overall success and distribution across its range.

Conclusion

In summary, the Steppe Eagle is a large bird of prey that favors open dry habitats and has a varied diet of fresh dead animals, small mammals, and birds. It lays 1-3 eggs in a stick nest in a tree and has shown some tolerance for nesting near roads. Its wintering habits vary, with some populations preferring human-modified areas for easy food access and others utilizing more natural habitats such as wetlands or other waterways. The Steppe Eagle’s adaptability and versatility in habitat selection may be key factors in its continued success as a species.

References:
– Wikipedia – Steppe Eagle
– Wikipedia – Reproduction and Life Cycle of the Golden Eagle
– EarthLife – Steppe Eagles
– Britannica – Eagle