Türkiye’s Eagles: 7 raptors that rule Anatolian skies
Meet the raptors that rule our mountains, forests and steppes.
Graphic Designer: Elif Cansin Senol Ural, Producer: Nurdan Erdogan Gokhan / TRT World
Türkiye is home to seven magnificent eagle species — from ground-running Steppe Eagles to powerful Golden Eagles.
Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)
- One of Türkiye’s flagship raptors
- Breeds in Thrace, Bolu and Ankara
- Endangered but recovering thanks to protection efforts
- Anatolia's heavyweight hunter
- Hunts rabbits to foxes
- Cooperates with its mate to ambush preys
- The “snake specialist”
- Circles high before diving on reptiles
- Common summer migrants, hover at 500m
- Hunts from perches
- Females known for “neighbourly” nest visits
- Favours open forests and hills
- Spring-autumn migrant across Türkiye
- A rare, vulnerable species
- Fewer than 4,000 remain globally due to habitat loss
- Mostly a winter migrant
- Ground-dwelling of open steppes
- Specialising in ground squirrels
- Unusual habits: hunts on foot, drops stones, scavenges in winter
Images: AI-Generated