STEPPE EAGLE (Aquila nipalensis) – (See images below)
As its name implies, the Steppe Eagle breeding grounds are in the vast steppes of Asia, and it winters south of its range, including in the eastern part of Africa.
It is a large eagle with a 7 feet wingspan (2 meters). Males, as with other species of eagles, are larger than females. Sexes are similar, with medium brown being the predominant plumage color.
The steppe eagle eats freshly killed animals but also hunts on its own for rodents, birds or hares. It is considered as ‘threatened’ due to the use of a toxic chemical for veterinary use,
diclofenac, which poisons those eagles when they eat carrion.
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Steppe eagle on termite mound, Tanzania |
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Steppe eagles, Tanzania, Jan. 2018 |
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Steppe eagles in a tree, Tanzania |