Aquila fasciata

Bonelli’s Eagle is classified as Critically Endangered (CR). This is based on the rate of decline in the number of individual birds (exceeds 80% over three generations) and the extremely small population size (less than 50 mature individuals). According to a quantitative analysis (PVA), the probability of species' extinction is 100% and the average extinction time is 51 years. In the previous edition of the Red Book (2002), it was classified as Endangered (EN). The change in its status reflects a deterioration in the population trend, which continues to decline and is now dependent on active management that includes nest guarding, along with release of individuals from a captive breeding program (2 – 6 per year).

Habitats	Desert Cliffs, Mediterranean Cliffs
Presence In Israel	Resident
Breeding In Israel	Breeder
Migration Types	Resident
Zoographical Zones	Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian, Saharo-Arabian
Landscape Types	Mountainous, Cliffs
Vegetation Types	Mediterranean Garrigue, Steppe
Vegetation Densities	Medium, Low
Nest Locations	Cliffs
Diet Types	Terrestrial Vertebrates
Foraging Grounds	Ground, Aerial
Body Sizes	Large (over 1000g)
Threat Factors	Nest Harvesting, Electrocution and collision with transmission wires, Human Settlements in Gorges, Hikers and rock climbers, Pesticide Poisoning, Lead Poisoning, Helicopter and aircraft activity in breeding areas, Hunting and trapping

Bonelli’s Eagle is a medium-sized, fast and aggressive eagle. Adult plumage is contrasting – the breast, belly and lower parts are white with black streaking, contrasting with dark brown upper parts, except for a white patch in the center of its back. Immature birds have a more uniform light brown rusty plumage. It resembles hawks in many features – the white streaked plumage, the long legs, yellow eyes, rounded long tail and its habit of hunting doves and other birds in the air.

A very rare resident species in the Golan Heights, eastern Samaria, the Judean Desert and the Negev. The Mediterranean population comprises only a few pairs and in the desert region less than ten pairs remain. It once nested in all the mountainous and cliff areas, from the Upper Galilee to Eilat. The population in northern Israel was seriously affected in the 1960s and 1970s from excessive use of agricultural pesticides, which led to the disappearance of all the pairs that bred in the Galilee, the Carmel and the Judean Mountains. During the 1980s and 1990s, most of the pairs that nested in Samaria were adversely affected by nest robbers, and nesting in the Eilat Mountains ceased as well. Dispersing juveniles are frequently harmed by electrocution on medium-voltage distribution lines.

According to the quantitative analysis conducted (population viability analysis, PVA), at the current reproductive rate the probability of extinction for the species in Israel approaches 100% and the mean extinction time is 51 years (Mayrose & Hatsofe 2017).

The major threat to the Bonelli’s Eagle population is electrocution. Every year a number of juvenile eagles are electrocuted in their post fledging dispersal areas.

During recent decades, extensive efforts have been made to preserve the Bonelli’s Eagle population in Israel. All the known nesting sites are continuously monitored, and some of them are guarded against robbers. Moreover, rock climbing and aerial activities in the vicinity of nesting sites is restricted. Efforts have been made to insulate electrical poles in the juvenile dispersal areas. In addition, a number of immature birds from the captive breeding nucleus in the "Hai-Bar Carmel" are released into the wild every year.

Bonelli’s Eagle is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) and its future is completely dependent on specific management actions taken to ensure its preservation. If no solution is found to the electrocution issue, the population in Israel is not viable in the long-term.

It is necessary to minimize the danger to Bonelli’s Eagle from overhead power lines. Until a complete or partial solution to the problem is found, the continuous release of captive bred individuals is essential. At the same time, monitoring and nest guarding actions should be implemented to maximize the population reproductive potential.

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• Mendelssohn, H. 1972. The impact of pesticides on bird life in Israel. ICBP 11:75-104.
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• Symes, A. 2013. Species generation lengths. Unpublished, BirdLife International.
• Species page at Birdlife International