Egypt, a Middle Eastern country bordering the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, is traversed by the famous Nile River, which empties into the Mediterranean. The Nile divides the Eastern (Arabian) and Western (Libyan) desert regions, with approximately 95% of the country covered in arid desert habitat. While the Nile River supports a diverse ecosystem, much of the country's wildlife is limited to animals adapted to harsh, dry conditions. Among the various shorebirds and migratory birds found along the coast and around Lake Nasser, the national bird of Egypt stands out with a history stretching back thousands of years: the steppe eagle.
The steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis) is a large bird of prey belonging to the Accipitridae family. Its feathered legs identify it as a "booted eagle." Once considered the same species as the tawny eagle, scientists have since determined that they are distinct.
Historical Significance
The eagle has been an important symbol in Egyptian history since the Pharaonic era (3000 B.C. to 323 B.C.). Eagles were commonly depicted on Egyptian temples and were the prized bird of Saladin, the first Sultan of Egypt.
Description and Characteristics
A steppe eagle is a large bird of prey with strong talons and a hooked beak, typical of eagles. Steppe eagles exhibit varied shades of brown with darker wingtips. The wingtips also feature seven individual feathers that resemble fingers in flight. Unlike most eagles, steppe eagles nest on the ground and primarily hunt on the ground, using their keen eyesight to spot ground squirrels and other small mammals. Steppe eagles can reach almost 3 feet in height, with an average length between 24-35 inches. The wingspan of the steppe eagle typically ranges from 5 ½ to 6 feet, but can reach 7 feet or more. Females are larger than males, weighing between 5-10 pounds, while males weigh between 5 ½ -7 ½ pounds. Compared to other eagles, they are considered medium-sized.
Key Features of the Steppe Eagle
- Size: 60 to 89 centimeters (24 to 35 inches) long
- Weight:
- Males: 2.5 to 3.5 kilograms (5.5 to 7.7 pounds)
- Females: 2.3 to 4.9 kilograms (5.1 to 10.8 pounds)
- Wingspan: 5 ½ to 7 feet
- Appearance: Mostly dark brown with pale patches on the neck and back of the head
- Distinctive Feature: Large mouth opening (gape) about 49 to 60.8 millimeters (1.9 to 2.4 inches) wide
The Steppe Eagle on the Egyptian Flag and Currency
The Egyptian flag features a gold eagle in the center, often referred to as the “Egyptian eagle of Saladin.” The flag consists of three equal horizontal stripes of red, white, and black.
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The national bird of Egypt is also featured on the 25 PT banknote of the Egyptian pound. The back of the banknote displays the Egyptian coat of arms, which is a large eagle with a tricolor shield in the center. The eagle holds a scroll that reads "Arab Republic of Egypt" in Arabic. The front of the banknotes showcases prominent mosques in the country, while the backs feature various Ancient Egyptian motifs, such as The Great Sphinx of Giza and a Pharaonic war chariot.
Habitat and Distribution
The Steppe Eagle is found throughout parts of Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. It is found in a number of habitats including steppe, desert, semi-desert, open savanna, pastures, agricultural fields, paddy fields, grassland, and open woodland.
Steppe eagles breed mainly in four large countries: Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China. They used to breed in Europe but are now rare there. Their breeding range goes far east in Russia, like to Transbaikal. Steppe eagles migrate completely. They spend winter in east and southern Africa. Their African range goes from Sudan to South Africa. They also winter in the Middle East. Many eagles spend winter in the Arabian Peninsula. Some eagles now stay in Kazakhstan for winter. In south Asia, they winter in Afghanistan and the Indian subcontinent. They are found in Pakistan and much of India.
Steppe eagles travel through many countries between their breeding and wintering areas. The largest groups are seen during migration. They can even fly far off course. Steppe eagles use two main migration routes. One goes across the Middle East and Arabia. Many eagles stop there for winter. Others fly around the Red Sea to Africa. The other main path goes through the Himalayas. They fly in huge numbers through places like Israel (especially around Eilat), Suez in Egypt, and Bab-el-Mandeb in Yemen.
Steppe eagles breed in open, dry areas called the steppe. This includes both high and low lands. They usually avoid agricultural land and areas changed by humans. But they can nest near roads. They like flat plains, dry grassland, and semi-desert areas. In winter, steppe eagles often go to places changed by humans. They find easy food at landfills and animal carcass dumps. They also use wetlands and waterways. In Africa, they prefer savanna and grasslands. They can live in different climates.
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Behavior and Diet
Steppe eagles are often seen alone, but they also gather in groups. They flock during migration and gather in large numbers at good feeding spots in winter. They fly with slow, strong wing beats, with their wings fully spread on upstrokes, making their flight look heavy. When soaring, they hold their wings flat or slightly bent. They can fly very high, sometimes up to 1600 meters (5,200 feet). They are not very noisy, especially when not breeding.
Steppe eagles migrate because their main food, ground squirrels, are only available at certain times. The most important food for breeding steppe eagles is the little ground squirrel. In some areas, up to 98% of their diet can be these squirrels. They also eat some birds and reptiles. Steppe Eagles will hunt and catch prey directly on the ground, even waiting patiently at rodent burrows for their dinner to emerge! It has also been known to pirate (or steal) prey from other birds of prey!
Autumn migration starts around October, peaking in late October and usually ending in November or December. Spring migration starts in February, peaking from late February to March. Huge numbers of steppe eagles pass through migration sites. For example, over 76,000 were seen over Bab-el-Mandeb in 1987. In Eilat, Israel, about 28,000 eagles pass each spring. They often fly with other large soaring birds.
In winter, they are very social. Dozens of eagles might share food. They might even help each other find food. This is very unusual for eagles.
Steppe eagles are not well-studied in winter because they move around a lot. In southern Africa, they often eat termites. Termites come out after rain. Eagles fly down to catch them or wait on the ground. They can even catch termites in the air.
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Nesting and Reproduction
Steppe eagles breed in pairs and prefer to be alone during summer. They perform aerial displays to show their territory. The breeding season is from late March or early April to late August. Their nest is a large platform made of sticks, flatter than other eagle nests, typically 70 to 100 centimeters (28 to 39 inches) wide and 20 to 50 centimeters (7.9 to 20 inches) deep. They line their nests with twigs and other things. Because nesting materials are scarce, they use unusual items. Nests are usually on exposed spots among stones or on a small hummock. They can also be on low bushes or slightly raised ground. Sometimes, they nest on haystacks, ruins, or low cliffs.
Historically, they constructed their nests directly on the ground, but more recently, they tend to nest higher off the ground on rock columns, in bushes and trees, on power poles, and even in old, abandoned cars!
They usually lay 2 eggs, but sometimes 1 to 3. Very rarely, they lay 4 or 5 eggs. The eggs are off-white and might have faint brown or grey spots. The eggs hatch after about 45 days. A typical nest has 1 to 2 young eagles. The young eagles leave the nest quickly, between 55 and 65 days old. This is probably to avoid dangers like predators, wildfires, or being stepped on by livestock.
Sadly, many steppe eagle nests fail. The success rate can be as low as 30-40%. Reasons for failure include parents leaving the nest, eggs not hatching, predators, starvation, and even cannibalism. Human disturbance also causes nests to fail. The number of young eagles that successfully leave the nest is low. In some areas, it's less than one per occupied nest.
Conservation Status and Threats
Yes! The steppe eagle is an endangered animal. The IUCN last assessed the species in July of 2021 and concluded there were only around 50,000-75,000 remaining in the world. They do still live in Egypt but only in the eastern half. Several of the threats to steppe eagles is converting the steppe habitat into agricultural land, the dangers of running into power lines, and illegal hunting.
The factors contributing to the decline are multifaceted and include poaching, poisonings as part of rodent control efforts, intentional poisoning aimed at predators, illicit trade, food scarcity, and collisions with wires. Poisoning and powerline accidents are notably prevalent in certain areas, such as the Altais. Shooting of Steppe eagles remains a concern, especially for those migrating or wintering in countries like Georgia, Armenia, Iraq, and Jordan. In these regions, the eagles are sometimes even sold in local markets.
The conversion of the Steppe is wiping them out. As more of the Steppe is being converted to agricultural land, this species is being extirpated from its former range. Power lines are another problem, particularly in Western Kazakhstan, Russia and Saudi Arabia. Pesticide poisoning is also an issue, as rodent poison works its way up the food chain. Logging and mining have reduced their habitats further and the aforementioned nest destruction reduces the species’ ability to recover. There’s also an illegal market for eagle chicks in Western Europe that funds the poaching of this species, among others. As of now, the species is listed as Endangered and decreasing by the IUCN.
Majestic Hunter: The Egyptian Steppe Eagle in Action
Conservation Efforts
Preserving grassland habitats in Europe and other regions of significance to the eagle is of the highest priority to conservation efforts. Educating residents about these eagles’ cultural and ecological significance is also critical, according to conservation experts.
The Minister of the Environment Yasmin Fouad told the press earlier this year that Egypt, in its approach to dealing with the issue of protecting migratory birds, went beyond the official and governmental level. She also pointed out that the ministry organized various training sessions to raise awareness and involve all parties in environmental protection. These included specialized training for graduates in the field of monitoring and observing migratory birds, as well as training for those working in the tourism sector and companies.
Though The Peregrine Fund doesn't work directly with Steppe Eagles, in Kenya, their scientists are working hard to learn about and protect all raptors and their habitats. Through environmental education efforts, they are also working to put a stop to the common practice of poisoning carcasses to kill large predators, which also kills a host of wildlife including vultures, eagles, and other scavenging birds. These efforts will certainly benefit all raptors of the region, including the Steppe Eagle. Meanwhile, their efforts in scientific research, habitat conservation, education, and community development help conserve birds of prey around the world.
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