Modern Status of the Steppe Eagle Population in Kalmykia, Russia

The article presents the results of the Steppe Eagle (Aquila nipalensis) monitoring in the Republic of Kalmykia in 2013–2015. For 2011–2015 the population of Steppe Eagle in Kalmykia decreased by 23% and is 404–720, at average 527 breeding pairs. In 2015 the average density of occupied breeding territories on the main part of the Steppe Eagle breeding ground in Kalmykia was about 1.7 per 100 km2, in the breeding ground of the high density of species, on Ergeninskaya hill, where about 20% of Kalmyk Steppe Eagle population is nesting – 7,9/100 km2. In 2015 the density of successful pairs was1.3 (0.98–1.7) pairs/100 km2 on the main areas, on Ergeninskaya hill – 7.1 (4.9 – 10.4) pairs/100 km2, observed breeding success in 2015 is 1.58±1.11 nestlings per occupied breeding territory. The rejuvenation of the population has been noted: among the birds on the breeding territories the proportion of partners younger than 5 years has increased by 3 times in 2 years – from 1.75 to 5.26%. The main threats to the Steppe Eagle in the Republic of Kalmykia are death on power lines, steppe fires, destruction of nests by cattle or killing of nestlings by herding dogs, disturbance factor in grazing. It is likely that the decline of eagles’ population is due to increasing of negative factors on the migration routes and wintering grounds