STEPPE EAGLE

It is a true eagle as it has feathered tarsi down to the talons.

Females are usually larger than males, but in many pairs they cannot be identified with the naked eye.

The steppe eagle population has declined enormously in recent years, worsening its conservation status from vulnerable to endangered. Globally, their populations have declined by about 60% in the last 20 years, 80% in the case of European populations. The causes are various: the destruction of their steppe habitat transformed into farmland and their persecution are the main causes in the western area. In the eastern zone, moreover, the casualties caused by collisions with power lines and wind turbines are also important. It has also been detected that this species, like vultures, is sensitive to diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory applied to livestock, which, when ingested through carrion, causes the death of the animal.