Breeding Habitat Requirements of Bonelli’s Eagle and Trends in Eastern Morocco: Implications for Conservation Planning

Abstract

The habitat requirements and biology of the nesting Bonelli’s Eagle (Aquila fasciata) in the Moulouya river gorges of southwestern Middle Atlas were studied from 2005–2015. Fifteen to fifty-eight Bonelli’s Eagle territories were occupied in one decade and produce in averaged 1.34 fledglings per occupied site. Population of Bonelli’s Eagles in the Moulouya river gorges seems healthy, though much of the apparent growth in population must be attributed to the increase in Houbara Buastard (Chlamydotis undata), Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis) and Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara) in an area of 80.000 km² near the study area were a conservation and hunting game reserve was established.

Keywords

• birds of prey
• bonelli’s eagle
• aquila fasciata