Aquila heliaca

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	FALCONIFORMES	ACCIPITRIDAE

Scientific Name:

Aquila heliaca

Species Authority:

Savigny, 1809

Common Name/s:

English	–	Asian Imperial Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Imperial Eagle
French	–	Aigle impérial
Spanish	–	Aguila Imperial, Aguila Imperial Oriental

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable C2a(ii) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

BirdLife International

Reviewer/s:

Butchart, S., Bird, J., Pople, R., Burfield, I., Gilroy, J.

Contributor/s:

Hallmann, B., Stoychev, S., Katzner, T., Horváth, M., Kovács, A., Galushin, V.

Justification:
This species has a small global population, and is likely to be undergoing continuing declines, primarily as a result of habitat loss and degradation, adult mortality through persecution and collison with powerlines, nest robbing and prey depletion. It is therefore listed as Vulnerable.

History:

2007	–	Vulnerable
2004	–	Vulnerable
2000	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Aquila heliaca breeds in Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Macedonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine. Breeding has not been proved but possibly occurs in Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Pakistan, Romania, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. On passage and in winter, birds are found in the Middle East, east Africa south to Tanzania, the Arabian peninsula, the Indian subcontinent and south and east Asia (from Thailand to Korea). The population is probably only a few thousand pairs, with a total population of 1,110-1,624⁹ pairs estimated in Europe. There was a rapid decline in Europe and probably in Asia in the second half of the 20^th century. Recently the Central European population (121-134 pairs mostly in Hungary and Slovakia) has been increasing ⁹, while the Balkan population (81-126 pairs mostly in Bulgaria and Macedonia¹⁰) is apparently stable (although the last proven breeding in Greece took place in 1993). Recent surveys in Azerbaijan found relatively high densities in the north-western plains, estimating 50-60 pairs within a 6000 km² study area¹¹. This suggests that the Caucasian population may have been underestimated (it was previously assumed that less than 50 pairs bred in Azerbaijan and Georgia¹¹. The majority of the world population breeds in Russia (total 900-1000 pairs⁷) and Kazakhstan (750-800 pairs²). Although these populations currently seem to be stable, the Russian population has been predicted to decline in the next three to five years³.
Countries:	Native: Afghanistan; Armenia; Austria; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Cambodia; China; Croatia; Czech Republic; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Georgia; Greece; Hong Kong; Hungary; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Israel; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Korea, Democratic People's Republic of; Korea, Republic of; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Lebanon; Macao; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Moldova; Mongolia; Montenegro; Myanmar; Nepal; Oman; Pakistan; Palestinian Territory, Occupied; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Russian Federation; Saudi Arabia; Serbia; Slovakia; Sudan; Syrian Arab Republic; Taiwan, Province of China; Tajikistan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Thailand; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; Uzbekistan; Viet Nam; Yemen Vagrant: Belarus; Cameroon; Cyprus; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Italy; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Lithuania; Malaysia; Morocco; Poland; Singapore; Slovenia; Sweden
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	In Europe, the breeding population is estimated to number 850-1400 breeding pairs, equating to 2550-4200 individuals (BirdLife International 2004). Europe forms 25-49% of the global range, so a very preliminary estimate of the global population size is 5200-16800 individuals, although further validation of this estimate is needed.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This is a lowland species that has been pushed to higher altitudes by persecution and habitat loss in Europe. In central and eastern Europe, it breeds in forests up to 1,000 m and also in steppe and agricultural areas with large trees, and nowadays also on electricity pylons. In the Caucasus, it occurs in steppe, lowland and riverine forests and semi-deserts. Eastern populations breed in natural steppe and agricultural habitats. Both adults and immatures of the eastern populations are migratory, wintering in the Middle East, east Africa south to Tanzania, the Arabian peninsula, the Indian subcontinent and south and east Asia, and wintering birds have been reported in Hong Kong (China).Wetlands are apparently preferred on the wintering grounds. Adults in Central Europe, Balkan Peninsula, Turkey and Caucasus are usually residents, whilst most immatures move south. Non-territorial birds often associate with other large eagles such as Haliaeetus albicilla and Aquila clanga on wintering and temporary settlement areas.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

This is a lowland species that has been pushed to higher altitudes by persecution and habitat loss in Europe. In central and eastern Europe, it breeds in forests up to 1,000 m and also in steppe and agricultural areas with large trees, and nowadays also on electricity pylons. In the Caucasus, it occurs in steppe, lowland and riverine forests and semi-deserts. Eastern populations breed in natural steppe and agricultural habitats. Both adults and immatures of the eastern populations are migratory, wintering in the Middle East, east Africa south to Tanzania, the Arabian peninsula, the Indian subcontinent and south and east Asia, and wintering birds have been reported in Hong Kong (China).Wetlands are apparently preferred on the wintering grounds. Adults in Central Europe, Balkan Peninsula, Turkey and Caucasus are usually residents, whilst most immatures move south. Non-territorial birds often associate with other large eagles such as Haliaeetus albicilla and Aquila clanga on wintering and temporary settlement areas.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Breeding sites are threatened primarily by intensive forestry in the mountains, and by the shortage of large indigenous trees in the lowlands (e.g. illegal tree cutting affected several pairs in Bulgaria). Other threats are loss and alteration of feeding habitats, shortages of small and medium-sized prey species (particularly ground-squirrels Spermophilus spp.), human disturbance of breeding sites, nest robbing and illegal trade, shooting, poisoning and electrocution by powerlines. Habitat alterations associated with agricultural expansion threaten historical and potential breeding sites in former range countries. Hunting, poisoning, prey depletion and other mortality factors are also likely to pose threats along migration routes and in wintering areas.

Major Threat(s):

Breeding sites are threatened primarily by intensive forestry in the mountains, and by the shortage of large indigenous trees in the lowlands (e.g. illegal tree cutting affected several pairs in Bulgaria). Other threats are loss and alteration of feeding habitats, shortages of small and medium-sized prey species (particularly ground-squirrels Spermophilus spp.), human disturbance of breeding sites, nest robbing and illegal trade, shooting, poisoning and electrocution by powerlines. Habitat alterations associated with agricultural expansion threaten historical and potential breeding sites in former range countries. Hunting, poisoning, prey depletion and other mortality factors are also likely to pose threats along migration routes and in wintering areas.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Conservation Actions Underway CITES Appendix I and II. CMS Appendix I and II. It is legally protected in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine. The Eastern Imperial Eagle Working Group was established in 1990. A European action plan was published in 1996. Regional Action Plans have been published for the Balkan Peninsula¹⁰ and for the Southern Caucasus¹². The Eastern Imperial Eagle Management Guidelines for Hungary were published in 2005 and are under preparation for Slovakia¹³. Conservation Actions Proposed Conduct surveys to identify breeding and wintering sites, and migration routes. Improve protection of species and sites. Implement beneficial forestry policies. Maintain large trees in open land and protect old woodland on slopes⁴. Prevent mortality from nest robbing, nest destruction, illegal trade, poisoning and electrocution on medium-voltage powerlines, as well as persecution in wintering grounds and migratory routes. Maintain feeding habitats by preserving traditional land use. Increase the availability of prey species by habitat management. Raise public awareness and involve stakeholders in conservation activities.

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix I and II. CMS Appendix I and II. It is legally protected in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine. The Eastern Imperial Eagle Working Group was established in 1990. A European action plan was published in 1996. Regional Action Plans have been published for the Balkan Peninsula¹⁰ and for the Southern Caucasus¹². The Eastern Imperial Eagle Management Guidelines for Hungary were published in 2005 and are under preparation for Slovakia¹³.

Conservation Actions Proposed
Conduct surveys to identify breeding and wintering sites, and migration routes. Improve protection of species and sites. Implement beneficial forestry policies. Maintain large trees in open land and protect old woodland on slopes⁴. Prevent mortality from nest robbing, nest destruction, illegal trade, poisoning and electrocution on medium-voltage powerlines, as well as persecution in wintering grounds and migratory routes. Maintain feeding habitats by preserving traditional land use. Increase the availability of prey species by habitat management. Raise public awareness and involve stakeholders in conservation activities.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Aquila heliaca. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2012.
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