Eastern Imperial Eagle

Aquila heliaca (Savigny, 1809)

		adult juvenile
2013-03-10 Karatau mountains, Baurdzhan Momyshuly 2014-10-18 Dongeleksor. Mangystau oblast.	© Yevgeny Belousov © Askar Isabekov

Distribution

Breeds widely on plains and foothills in north to Urda, Naurzum, Kyzyltau Mts., Semipalatinsk, Kalbinskiy Altai and foothills of Southern Altai, where one brood recorded in 1998. Widespread occurs on dispersal and migration, including Markakol lake and Kurgaldzhin Reserve. Sometimes observed in winter on Kalbinskiy and Western Altai, and in Chu valley, also at Barsa-Kelmes (winter of 1971-72).

Biology

Rare breeding migrant. Inhabits the small forests and groves in steppe zone, the riparian forests, the sandy deserts with scattered trees, and the foothills of mountain ranges. Appears in southern areas in March and rarely until the end of April; to northern areas arrives in April. Both parents build the nest in trees (pine, spruce, birch, poplar, russian olive, saxaul, tamarisk) at 1-15 m above the ground, or very rarely on the ground; nest is built for 10 days from the dry twigs and is lined with the old grass, rags, hair, horse droppings and green twigs often. Nests are used for some years, birds repair them every year. Laying of 1-3 (usually 2) eggs is in early April – end of May. Both parents incubate for about 43 days. Nestlings hatch in mid-May – June; male brings the prey but female feeds nestlings, which fledge at the age 65-77 days, in July – August. Adult bird with juvenile were recorded 27 September in Altai. Autumn migration begins in mid-September; at Chokpak Pass most birds observed in October. Elsewhere in Kazakhstan the latest birds recorded in late November.

Subspecies

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург. Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.