Steppe Eagle

Aquila nipalensis

A large migratory eagle of the Eurasian steppes. CAF populations face major threats from power-line electrocution and have declined rapidly in recent decades.

Kazakhstan Russia Mongolia Uzbekistan Turkmenistan Pakistan India

About this species

The Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) is a large, brown migratory eagle closely tied to open steppe and semi-desert habitats across Eurasia. It feeds largely on ground squirrels and other small mammals in its breeding grounds, and on carrion and termites in its wintering areas. The species undertakes some of the longest eagle migrations, with Central Asian birds travelling to wintering grounds in East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent. Thousands of Steppe Eagles pass over flyway bottlenecks each autumn, providing some of the most spectacular raptor migrations in the world. Electrocution on medium-voltage power lines, poisoning, and habitat conversion have driven severe declines; the species was uplisted to Endangered by IUCN in 2015.

Range & migration

Breeding range

Open steppe and semi-desert of Kazakhstan, southern Russia, Mongolia and northern China.

Wintering range

East and southern Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Pakistan and the Indian subcontinent.

Migration pattern

Long-distance migrant. Birds from Kazakhstan and Mongolia migrate via the Middle East and the Caucasus to wintering grounds in East Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Large concentrations pass through flyway bottlenecks in the Caucasus and around the Red Sea.

Population in the CAF

Global mature population ~37,000–37,500; declining rapidly across range

Habitat

Open steppe and semi-desert with sparse trees or low hills for nesting; increasingly uses fence posts and ground sites for nesting.

Threats

Electrocution on uninsulated power lines; poisoning (including secondary poisoning); loss and conversion of steppe; disturbance at nest sites; collision with wind turbines.

Conservation actions

Promotion of power-line insulation and retrofitting; satellite tracking to identify threat hotspots; monitoring of breeding populations; protection of key migration bottlenecks.

Key sites

Altyn-Dala steppe, Kazakhstan (breeding)
Mongolian steppe (breeding)
Bab-el-Mandeb strait (migration bottleneck)

External references

Related projects

CompletedKazakhstan

From Research and Educating to Action: Transforming Energy Policies to Conserve the Steppe Eagles of Kazakhstan

This ACBK–RSPB initiative builds on earlier UK Aid support to reduce key threats driving Steppe Eagle declines in Kazakhstan—especially mortality on hazardous power infrastructure—while strengthening national capacity and policy action.

OngoingKazakhstan

Steppe Eagle Migration, Behavior & Conservation

This research and conservation project uses GPS tracking to better understand the migration, behaviour, and conservation needs of the Steppe Eagle.

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