# Steppe Eagle (*Aquila nipalensis*) The Steppe Eagle is a majestic bird of prey with dark feathers and a large wingspan. It soars high in the sky, searching for small mammals and reptiles to hunt. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Aquila nipalensis ![Steppe Eagle](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425957/objects/6439.jpg) ## Appearance The Steppe Eagle is a large raptor with a mostly dark brown body, though juveniles can be paler. It has broad wings and a relatively short, dark tail, often showing a distinct pale band on its underwings. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Accipitridae - **Genus:** Aquila ## Interesting facts - Sometimes, many Steppe Eagles gather in huge groups of hundreds to hunt grasshoppers together. - Steppe Eagles are famous for "marching" on the ground to hunt, sometimes walking more than flying! - They build huge stick nests on small hills or even on the ground in treeless steppes! - Young Steppe Eagles look quite different from their parents, having lighter feathers and wing bars. ## Special abilities - **Eagle Eye View:** Steppe Eagles have incredibly sharp eyesight that helps them spot tiny prey moving on the ground from high in the sky. - **Long Haul Flight:** Steppe Eagles can fly thousands of kilometers during migration because of their strong wings, helping them travel far. - **Powerful Grip:** The Steppe Eagle has strong talons and a hooked beak that helps it grasp and tear apart its prey with ease. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 62-74 cm - **Wingspan:** 165-200 cm - **Weight:** 2.3-4.9 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-25 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1-3 - **Incubation:** 40-45 days - **Migration Distance:** 7000 km ## Diet & Feeding A powerful hunter, the Steppe Eagle eats small mammals, birds, reptiles, and sometimes even insects. - **Primary Foods:** Rodents, Ground Squirrels, Lizards, Snakes, Small Birds, Carrion - **Foraging Methods:** Pursuit, Scavenging ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Bobak Marmot (*Marmota bobak*) — A favorite large prey item on the steppes. - **Hunts:** Tamarisk Gerbil (*Meriones tamariscinus*) — Often hunts small rodents in its grassland habitat. - **Hunts:** Yellow Ground Squirrel (*Spermophilus fulvus*) — A primary food source in Central Asian steppes. - **Eats:** Goitered Gazelle (*Gazella subgutturosa*) — Scavenges on carcasses of larger animals. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Steppe](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/steppe): This habitat trait describes species found in steppes, which are dry, treeless grasslands characterized by extreme seasonal temperature variations and low precipitation. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Admire the Steppe Eagle from a safe distance and never disturb its natural habitat. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Steppe Eagle? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Steppe Eagle? 62-74 cm ### What is Steppe Eagle's wingspan? 165-200 cm ### How much does Steppe Eagle weigh? 2.3-4.9 kg ### How long does Steppe Eagle live? 15-25 years ### How fast can Steppe Eagle move? 70 km/h ### What does Steppe Eagle eat? A powerful hunter, the Steppe Eagle eats small mammals, birds, reptiles, and sometimes even insects. ### Where is Steppe Eagle usually found? Grasslands ## Where to spot - [Adlerwarte Berlebeck](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/adlerwarte-berlebeck) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Zoo ## Watch - [Play video: Steppe Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/videos/steppe-eagle) - [YouTube](https://www.snappit.app/published_manually) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Steppe Eagle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/steppe-eagle)