Aquila nipalensis - Steppe Eagle
Feather characters. Barbules are rather long (2.7-3.0 mm), entangled and are not, or only slightly pigmented. Slightly thickened nodes (8-11 per mm) are located on proximal end of barbules. Over a short distance these nodes abruptly decrease in size. Further along the barbule, nodal structures are too small to qualify as nodes. Villi are absent and internodes are straight. Short prongs may occur along the entire length and on both sides of the pennulum, but they are unequally distributed. Their length varies; in some preparations, only minute prongs are found. The longest ones are longer than 0.01 mm, but shorter than half the length of the adjacent internode. Occasionally prongs are asymmetric.
Field characters. Length 67-86 cm; wingspan 245-272 cm. Weight: male 2520-3500 g, female 2300-4850 g (Cramp (chief ed.), 1979). Size of Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca, not included in BRIS); more robust and longer winged than Spotted and Lesser Spotted Eagle. Tail a little shorter than Imperial but slightly longer than spotted eagles. Buff-brown to dark brown below with dark barring on paler and greyer flight and tail feathers. Upperwing-coverts also vary in colour but coverts usually paler than flight feathers; diffuse primary patch larger than in spotted eagles. About 75% of the birds have a pale patch on the back and a pale nape. Juvenile has a diagnostic broad white band across the middle of underwing.
Voice. Call resembles the barking of a small dog; also whistles like both spotted eagles.
Distribution. Central Asia with westernmost part of distribution in Europe. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Lowland and mountain steppe.
Food. During breeding season specialises on ground squirrels and hares but also takes other mammals, birds, reptiles and carrion; when wintering in Africa adults feed on all kinds of vertebrates and carrion while juveniles mostly take termites and young birds.