My Science School

            Like animals on land and water, birds in the sky too are equally vulnerable to survival threats.

            One among the endangered birds is the steppe eagle. It is a widespread migratory species that breeds in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Mongolia.

            In winters, they fly to Africa and Southwestern Asia. They mostly inhabit steppe, semi-desert areas, and lowland hills.

            Although considered to be common throughout its ranges, the population of steppe eagle shows a dropping trend.

            The major threats before these attractive birds are conversion of habitats into agricultural land, and collision with power lines. The species has already become extinct in countries like Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine.

            In a study conducted in 2014, it was found that steppe eagles are negatively affected by the veterinary use of a drug named diclofenac, which is used to treat livestock. Being scavengers, the birds have high chances of being exposed to the risk of diclofenac poisoning.

Picture credit: google