י128) עיט ערבות

Steppe Eagle
Steppe Eagle
Steppe Eagle










Aquila nipalensis
Aquila nipalensis
Aquila nipalensis



:עיט ערבות
. מבין העיטים, גודלו בינוני עד גדול. קטן מעיט הערבות
. מראהו חום כהה, בד"כ כהה מעיט חורף, ובהיר יותר מעיט הצפרדעים
. נחיריו אובליים, קשתית העין תמיד חומה. הנקבה גדולה מהזכר
. בית גידולו ערבות ואזורים מידבריים למחצה
. בארץ עובר אורח שכיח ביותר וחורף נדיר
... נתיב לא ידעו עיט ... איוב כח' 7
Subspecies and Distribution.
A. n. orientalis SE European Russia to Balkhsh and Kazakhstan. Winters in Middle East, Arabia and E and S Africa .
A. n. nipalensis Altai and Tibet to Manchuria. Winters in S Asia.
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Descriptive notes.
70-80 cm,2400-3800 g wingspan 160-200 cm.
Separable from smaller A. rapax by width and length of gape. Overall dark brown, generally darker than, A. pomarina but paler than A. clanga . Prominent rufous nape patch in most adults. Has oval nostrils, as opposed to round in A. pomarina and A. clanga, fleshy gape reaches far below eye, primaries banded and iris always brown.
Female larger than male. Juvenile and immature almost always have characteristic broad whitish band along greater underwing coverts. Race orientalis slightly smaller and paler.
Habitat.
Steppe and semi-desert. Race nipalensis breeds in mountainous areas, orientalis breeds in lowlands and low hills.
Food and Feeding.
During breeding, race orientalis takes especially little suslik (98% of its food). Also takes mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects.
Wintering berds in S Africa take many alate harvester termites and nestling queleas. In E Africa, seems to eat chiefly moles and rats.
Forages mainly by soaring 200 m high and diving down, also ambushes prey, by waiting at burrow entrance, and takes some prey while walking about ground.
Breeding
Apr-Jul. Timing of arrival in spring and start of breeding highly dependent on availability of chief prey species.
Large platform of sticks often 1 m wide, lined with smaller twigs and many other materials. Usually built on ground in position that allows good view of surroundings.
1-3 eggs, incubation 45 days, Chicks have white down after hatching, later greyish white.
Movements.
Race orientalis completely migratory, leaving breeding areas in late Aug, avioiding crossing of sea, Israel, Suez and Bab al Mandab. Winters in Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, E and S Africa.
Race nipalensis less migratory, wintering mostly in S Asia.
Status and Conservation.
Not globally threatened. Common in suitable habitat.
Israel. In Israel the subspecies A. n. orientalis. Abuneant passage migrant, fairly rare winter visitor.

A. n. orientalis
(in Israel)


A. n. nipalensis

A. n. orientalis

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