Wildlifeof Thailand
Steppe Eagle
Accipitridae
Photo: (c) موسی مزینانیان Mousa Mazinanian, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Aquila nipalensis
Basic stats
Diet
Ground squirrels on the breeding grounds; other small mammals and prey
Habitat
Steppe; nests on a slight rise or flat open ground
Range
Breeds across the steppes; winters in south Asia
Clutch size
1–3 eggs
Size
60–89cm
Weight
In one sample, males mean 2.48kg; females mean 3.56kg
The steppe eagle is a large bird of prey, 60–89 cm long, mainly dark brown with a longish but very thick neck and a relatively small head with a strong bill and long gape line. It looks long-winged, with a longish, rather rounded tail and well-feathered, almost dishevelled-looking legs. In one sample males weighed a mean of 2.48 kg and females 3.56 kg (Wikipedia, general species account).
It undertakes a massive migration from essentially its entire breeding range, moving en masse past major flyways, especially those of the Middle East, Red Sea and Himalaya, and winters in south Asia. On the breeding ground it is a specialised predator of ground squirrels, taking other small mammals more often when squirrels are scarce. In treeless steppe it tends to nest on a slight rise in a rather flat nest, and one to three eggs are laid (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Steppe Eagle eat?
- Ground squirrels on the breeding grounds; other small mammals and prey
- What habitat does the Steppe Eagle live in?
- Steppe; nests on a slight rise or flat open ground
- Where is the Steppe Eagle found?
- Breeds across the steppes; winters in south Asia
- How many eggs does the Steppe Eagle lay?
- 1–3 eggs
- How big is the Steppe Eagle?
- 60–89cm
- How much does the Steppe Eagle weigh?
- In one sample, males mean 2.48kg; females mean 3.56kg