Steppe Eagle (Irad)

The steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis) is a large eagle that breeds on the plains of the Betpak-Dala and the Moiynkum, nesting on the ground, on low bushes or on power-line pylons. It hunts ground squirrels and other rodents. In autumn it migrates south to winter in South Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and birds from the Kazakh steppes pass over Irad in spring and autumn.^[1] The IUCN has listed the species as Endangered since 2015 because of rapid declines. Electrocution on medium-voltage power lines is one of the main causes.^[2]

References

1. ^ Department of Zoology, Talas State University (2020). Birds of Irad: An Annotated Checklist. Talas: Talas State University Press, pp. 57–59.
2. ^ BirdLife International. "Aquila nipalensis." IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.