<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> During the period 2008-201 3, 32 different breeding territories were occupied by eastern imperial eagles (EIEs). These territories were mainly distributed in two regions: the Dervent Heights/Yıldız Mts. and the area to the north of the Marmara sea coast. The nearest neighbour distance established was 4.2 km. The mean distance between pairs was 1 0.44±2.95 km. The mean value of breeding success for the period 2008-201 3, including 1 07 cases of incubation, was 1 .01±0.1 0. The mean breeding success of birds in the Marmara region (1 .05±0.78) was higher than that in the Dervent Heights/Yıldız Mts. (0.91±0.84). The present study on the diet of the EIE was based on the remains of 582 prey items of at least 70 taxa. Mammals were the most common group (46.5%), followed by birds (32.4%) and reptiles (20.3%). The white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus) was the most common prey, followed by two tortoises - Hermann's tortoise (Eurotestudo hermanni) and the Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca) - which together accounted for a total of 1 4.4% of the prey caught. The prey species particularly represented in the food spectrum of the studied pairs were: the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), the European souslik (Spermophilus citellus), the chicken (Gallus gallus f. domestica) and the white stork (Ciconia ciconia). These species together accounted for 67.8% of the prey caught. There was a statistically significant difference (Z=2.52, p=0.01 ) in the food preferences of the EIEs in the two studied regions. </p></abstract>

During the period 2008-201 3, 32 different breeding territories were occupied by eastern imperial eagles (EIEs). These territories were mainly distributed in two regions: the Dervent Heights/Yıldız Mts. and the area to the north of the Marmara sea coast. The nearest neighbour distance established was 4.2 km. The mean distance between pairs was 1 0.44±2.95 km. The mean value of breeding success for the period 2008-201 3, including 1 07 cases of incubation, was 1 .01±0.1 0. The mean breeding success of birds in the Marmara region (1 .05±0.78) was higher than that in the Dervent Heights/Yıldız Mts. (0.91±0.84). The present study on the diet of the EIE was based on the remains of 582 prey items of at least 70 taxa. Mammals were the most common group (46.5%), followed by birds (32.4%) and reptiles (20.3%). The white-breasted hedgehog (Erinaceus roumanicus) was the most common prey, followed by two tortoises - Hermann's tortoise (Eurotestudo hermanni) and the Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca) - which together accounted for a total of 1 4.4% of the prey caught. The prey species particularly represented in the food spectrum of the studied pairs were: the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), the European souslik (Spermophilus citellus), the chicken (Gallus gallus f. domestica) and the white stork (Ciconia ciconia). These species together accounted for 67.8% of the prey caught. There was a statistically significant difference (Z=2.52, p=0.01 ) in the food preferences of the EIEs in the two studied regions.

Distribution, abundance, breeding parameters, threats and prey preferences of the eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) in European Turkey

5 Leonardo da Vinci str., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Ali Suavi str. No:1 4/4, Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey

Bul „23 Pehoten Shipchenski polk“ 68, et3, ap8, Kazanlak 61 00, Bulgaria.

National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 , Blvd. Tsar Osvoboditel, 1 000 Sofia, Bulgaria

Raptor Journal

During the period 2008-201 3, 32 different breeding territories were occupied by eastern imperial eagles (EIEs). These territories were mainly distributed in...

Distribution, abundance, breeding parameters, threats and prey preferences of the eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) in European Turkey

Published Online: Mar 26, 2014

Page range: 17 - 25

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/srj-2014-0004

Keywords
population dynamics, diet, conservation measures

This content is open access.

Distribution, abundance, breeding parameters, threats and prey preferences of the eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) in European Turkey

Published Online: Mar 26, 2014

Page range: 17 - 25

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/srj-2014-0004

Keywordspopulation dynamics, diet, conservation measures

This content is open access.

Keywords
population dynamics, diet, conservation measures