Steppe Eagle

Aquila nipalensis Hodgson, 1833

Steppe Eagle, Aquila nipalensis, breeds across the Palearctic and spends the nonbreeding season in OR, the Arabian Pen. and AF. It is a bird of prey in the Accipitridae family, placed in Accipitriformes, and was described by Hodgson in 1833. It is the only eagle that nests mainly on the ground, usually choosing a slight rise, an outcrop or open flat ground in treeless steppe. On the breeding grounds it focuses on ground squirrels, with other small mammals and additional prey taken when those are less available.

Order

Accipitriformes

Family

Accipitridae — Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Breeding range

Palearctic: c

Nonbreeding range

OR, Arabian Pen. and AF