On eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) breeding in atypical habitat under competitive conditions with other eagle species

Abstract

In the paper we describe two cases of eastern imperial eagle breeding in the former nests of greater spotted eagle and white-tailed eagle observed in the Tatarstan Republic, Russia. In both cases, eastern imperial eagles occupied non-favourable habitats they never used before - a vast alder forest in the wetlands and an island in a reservoir. The possible reasons that made the eagles expand their breeding ranges in the Volga region of Russia are discussed in this paper.