Eastern Imperial Eagle population trends in Central Europe

Jana

Jana

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Maybe some people might find interesting the positive population trend of Eastern Imperial Eagle in Central Europe, or better to say in Pannonian plain (lowlands inside Carpatian mountain ranges).

Short introduction - Europe knows two Imperial Eagle species. Western one lives in Spain and Portugal and is rather popular and known. The Eastern one, spread in Pannonian plains, southern Balkan, Anatolia, Caucasus, Eastern Ukraine, South Russia and middle Asia, gets generally much less attention, probably because he doesn´t live in Western Europe (any more).

The population in Pannonian plain (Hungary + surrounding countries) grows very nicely now, thanks to intensive protection measures. While in the 1970s, maybe ca 20 pairs were left in the whole area.

Current situation:
Hungary - 180 pairs nested this year, positive trend
Slovakia - ca 55 pairs last year, stable trend recently
Austria - 18 pairs with nests this year, strong growth
Czech republic - 7 pairs with nests last year, other immature pairs with territory
Romania - 1 pair with chicks near Hungarian border this year, one teritorial pair with no nest
= ca 260 pairs in total, the population grows more then 5 % annually

Due to positive trend of this most western population of Eastern Imperial Eagle, its range is very slowly spreading and the species returns to places where it got extinct in the past. Who knows, maybe it will continue also more towards west and countries like Germany and France will get its long lost native eagle species back, without need of active reintroduction.
 
Thank you very much for this positive information Jana. Nice to see that yet another bird of prey is doing quite well - at least in Central Europe.
In Western Europe the White-tailed sea eagle is returning to its former distribution areas. In the Netherlands there was also a discusion about re-introduce this species in the 1990-ties and 2000-ts but before it actualy took place, the species was quicker and returned by itself :).
 
I saw the Western Imperial Eagle in Portugal last year - they have a growing population of juveniles in the area I am pleased to say, probably overspill from the Spanish population
 
I found latest info on Imperial eagle breeding in Czech republic (2016):

- 6 pairs managed to rear 12 chicks (1x1, 4x2 and 1x3 chicks per nest).
- 3 pairs built a nest but no eggs/chicks found.
- 1 or maybe 2 young territorial pairs were observed without nest.

One adult successfull pair was discovered in Bílé Karpaty mountains, first breeding record for that area.
One nonbreeding young pair was observed near city Brno, that is ca 30-40 km north from known range.
 
Update on the Czech population of Imperial Eagle (2017):
- 5 pairs managed to rear 10 chicks
- 2 pairs had chicks but their nests collapsed
- 1 pair built a nest but had no egg/chick
- 3 territorial pairs without nest
Population trend is stable.

I can´s find updated info on other countries. Only Slovakia notes circa 60 pairs this season.

On related thema - Golden Eagle (2017):
- Slovakia reports 140 pairs with territories that means slight increase.
Interesting is that the range is moving westwards, over river Váh. Usually, Golden eagles wouldn´t beed west of Malá Fatra. But recently pairs re-colonized Javorníky, Kysucké Beskýdy, Kysucká Vrchovina and part of Biele Karpaty. They reached Czech border.

In Czech republic, we probably haven´t had a single chick this year. But we have at least 4 territorial pairs now it seems. Two adult pairs in Oderské vrchy. One pair built nest somewhere in Uherské Hradiště county (Bílé Karpaty). One young pair keeps territory in Jeseníky.

Golden eagles used to live in mountains along whole Czech/Polish border in 18th and beginning of 19th century but since died out. If they manage to colonize Jeseníky, they will have free way towards west - Orlické Hory, Krkonoše and maybe Lužické Hory. What helps is that Slovak eagles build their nests in old trees, unlike golden eagles from Alps that require stone cliffs. We have lot of trees, but not many cliffs.
 
Actualised list of confirmed breeding pairs of Imperial Eagle in Central Europe (2017):

Czech republic (2018) - 11 breeding pairs, increasing trend
Slovakia - 55 breeding pairs, stable trend
Hungary - 219 breeding pairs, increasing trend
Austria - ? (can´t find any recent info)
Romania - no confirmed breeding, but 1-2 pairs maybe
Serbia (Vojvodina) - 1 breeding pair
= at least 305 pairs are now living in Carpathian Danube river basin, and this population grows nicely. Around 400 chicks fledge annually.
 
List of breeding pairs of Imperial Eagle in Central Europe:

Czech republic (2019) - so far 9 pairs found, stable trend
Slovakia (2018) - slightly over 60 pairs, stable trend
Hungary (2018) - 245 pairs, population growing
Austria (2018) - 19 pairs with chicks, stable trend
Romania and Serbia - can´t find recent info, probably not more than 1 pair each
= cca 335 pairs, almost 10% increase of this population in one year, all thanks to Hungary.

Golden eagle:
Two pairs nested in Oderské Vrchy (Czech republic) this spring. One pair built nest in Bílé Karpaty but its was 2km behind Slovak border so it doesnt count. Two birds seem to keep teritory in Jeseníky but no breeding yet.

And now the bomb - a breeding pair of Red-footed Falcon with two chicks in nest in fir tree, less than 20 km away from Olomouc. First confirmed breeding after at least 30 years in Czechia.

We have really good year, strong cyclic gradation of small rodents (like voles) in Morava, northeast Austria, west Slovakia and surrounding areas has attracted huge amount of birds of prey (and many others like storks). Maybe around 100 pairs of short-eared owls now nest along Czech/Austrian borders, together with at least dozen hen harrier pairs. Hopefully we wil have more pairs of Lesser spotted eagle too, only 2 nests were found last year.
 
Actualisation of population trend of Imperial eagle for breeding season 2019:

Hungary - 282 nesting pairs, heathly growth
Austria - 22 nesting pairs, steady growth (already 25 pairs in 2020 season)
Slovakia - ca 75 pairs, growth after few years of stagnation
Czechia - 9 pairs, stable
Nothern Serbia - 3 pairs, record number in recent years
= cca 390 pairs and that is more than 15% growth of the Panonian population compared to previous year.
 
An update on Czech Golden eagles:
In 2020 season, 3 pairs and one adult female kept territory in Oderské vrchy. Two pairs laid eggs, one chick hatched but none survived. The lone adult female was found dead, aspergillosis in post mortem. Some adults were observed in Veřovské vrchy, but no pair confirmed. The single chick who survived last year had been tagged and followed till April, she visited NE Poland, central Slovakia and Krkonoše.

In Poland, year 2020 saw 34 pairs of Golden eagles (32 of them in Carpathians and 2 on Baltic sea coast) and 12 fledged chicks, an average breeding season.

Rare Lesser spotted eagles had average season in 2020, 3 pairs observed (1 pair in Slavkovský les, 2 pairs in Zlatohorská vrchovina) and 1 chick fledged. The female chick had to be cared for in a rescue station due to accident, was released and tagged and last reported positions is in south Ethiopia still heading south. The single chick fledged in 2019, a male, had been tagged too, but was shot in Lebanon during migration.
 
I can´t find reliable numbers for Imperial eagles from Hungary and Slovakia so no update yet.

All 3 resident Golden eagle pairs in Oderské vrchy (Czechia) are doing great, are in good shape after winter, built nice nests, laid eggs and are incubating despite snowfall all this week. Fingers crossed for chicks that should hatch in first half of May. Much has been done to protect them. Landowners/foresters in 300 meters radius around each nest agreed to stop all works. Army has agreed to help out and move training away. Local paragliding and ultralight plane associations has agreed on no-flight zone. Drones are banned in vinicity and police will oversee it. People from nearby animal rescue station do patrolling and controls.

It has been 16 years since start of reintroduction of golden eagles here. Majority of released birds unfortunately died, in cases mortality reason could be found, it was mostly human-caused (shot, poisoned, electrocuted). Each chick counts.

And also fresh update on the lesser spotted eagle female chick. Her GPS sender works, she spent winter in central Tanzania and now started her return journey, she passed Nairobi in Kenya heading north.
 
Another quick update.

All three Golden eagle pairs in Oderské vrchy have a chick each. They are 2-3 weeks old now.

The Lesser spotted eagle chick that hatched last year is still alive. She just crossed Suez channel and entered Sinai on her trek back to Europe.
 
Actualisation of population trend of Imperial eagle:

Hungary - 310 pairs (2020) - slight growth
Slovakia - 90 pairs (2021) - nice growth in the west, stagnation in the east
Austria - 30 pairs (2021) - steady growth
Czech republic - 14 pairs (2021) - stagnation
Serbia - 3 pairs (2021) - stagnation
Romania ?? - can´t find any info, probably max 1 pair
= cca 447 pairs - this population continues to grow, birdwatchers in Western Europe can expect more vagrant juveniles showing on their doorsteps.

Lesser spotted eagle
2021 breeding season in CZ was as usual, 3 nests on known locations, a chick in each found. Local birders are paying more attention to birds in early summer so maybe more could be discovered.
The 3 birds equipped with GPS transmitters are overwintering in Zambia, Uganda and South Sudan.

Golden eagle
All 3 chicks in Oderské vrchy fledged. Strangely, all 3 of them are again females. Since reintroduction in Czechia, 100% of fledged chicks so far are female.
 
A short update on Imperial eagle population:

Hungary - ? (cant find any cummulative breeding data for 2021 or 2022)
Slovakia - 100 pairs (2022) - slight increase
Austria - 34 pairs (2022) with 48 fledged chicks - slight increase
Czech republic - 18 territorial pairs with 19 chicks fledged (2022) - slight increase
Serbia - 5 pairs in Banat (2022) - significant increase
Romania - ?
= I cant make any total without Hungary, but it seem this population is growing nicely, thanks to intensive anti-poisoning and anti-poaching activities in all these countries.

Last year saw breeding range of imperial eagle to extend slightly more toward west and north, both in Austria (along Danube river) and in Czechia. One immature (without chicks) pair has now territory in South Bohemia and one settled in Central Moravia. Imperial eagles will probably start to breed in Germany (and maybe Poland) within a decade.

Lesser spotted eagle
3 breeding pairs confirmed in 2022, all around Zlatohorská vrchovina (with maybe 1-2 pairs also just behind Polish border, based on some observations).

Golden Eagle
All 3 pairs in Oderské Vrchy laid eggs, 2 chicks fledged and again both are females.
 
Short update:

Eastern Imperial eagle
I found breeding stat from Hungary from year 2021 - 370 nests. With this, we can finaly make tally for that year: at least 527 pairs in Panonian population! Growth dynamic of around 15% annually continues.

Fresh news is a chick found on nest in Vysočina region in Czechia this spring. This means another extension of imperial eagle breeding range towards north-west. Source
 
Another update on Imperial eagle:
Hungary - 400-450 pairs (2023) - slight increase
Slovakia - ca 100 pairs (2023) - stagnation
Austria - 42 breeding pairs (2023) - strong increase
Czech republic - 23 territorial pairs (2023) - slight increase
Serbia - 8 pairs (2023) - strong increase
Romania - ?
= cca 575-625 pairs

Growth dynamic of this population has slowed down - under 10% annually (or maybe it outstripped available monitoring capacity in hungary?). Slovak figure is tentative, I haven´t found most recent official count yet. Also havent found any proven breeding in Croatia or Zakarpatia (ukraine) but I hope it´s just matter of time.

Here link to a short video of a chick of a new pair, the current most westernly breeding pair of the species. In Bohemia.
 
I don´t have population figure update but a piece of news. A new territorial pair of sub-adut eagles lives east of town Pardubice ( in Elbe river lowlands, east of Prague). A single bird spent there winter 23/24 and now it found a mate. If they build a nest next spring, it would extend geografic breeding range of imperial eagles by 100km north-west.
 
Partial update on Imperial eagle in 2024 season:

Hungary - ca 450 pairs?? - population growth outstriped monitoring capacity, no census done
Slovakia - 73 successful pairs and 127 fledged chicks - stagnation
Austria - 51 territorial pairs and 71 fledged chicks - strong increase
Czech republic - ?? (yet to see the report)
Serbia - 13 pairs and 7 chicks fledged - strong increase
Romania - 9 pairs and 4 chicks fledged - strong increase
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top