POPULATION SIZE AOO EOO TREND
40 mature individuals - 191,148 km2
NORTH AFRICA REGIONAL ASSESSMENT: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR) C2a(i,ii); D (IUCN version 3.1) In North Africa, the tawny eagle has a small and declining population estimated to number less than 40 mature individuals in one subpopulation. There is no evidence of immigration from other breeding populations. Further-more, the species is also threatened in sub-Saharan countries. For these reasons the species is listed as Critically Endangered under criterion C2a(i,ii) and D.
DISTRIBUTION
The tawny eagle is a widespread raptor occurring over large areas of Saharan Africa, with an isolated sub-population in North Africa. The original breeding range of the species in this region included Morocco, northern Algeria and Tunisia. The species bred throughout Morocco, from the Tangier Peninsula to the Sahara through Souss and the western Middle Atlas, until the first half of the 20th century (Thévenot et al., 2003; F. Cuzin, pers.
obs.). Since then, there have been only a small number of breeding records in Souss in 1980, 1981, 1990 and 1992 (Thévenot et al., 2003). The latest sightings are confined to a region ranging from northern Agadir to Tan Tan, in lowland areas, hills and low mountains (less than 1,200 m.) (F. Cuzin, pers. obs.). The last nine mentions of the species (out of 29 received) accepted by the CHM (Morocco Rare Birds Approval Committee) are from 2006, at the Oued Massa estuary and in the Tan Tan region (northern Moroccan Sahara).
Since then, all the reported observations of this species have been rejected: in every case a photograph revealed the bird to be a Spanish imperial eagle, since the two species are easy to confuse because of their similarities, at least at juvenile age (F. Cuzin, pers. obs.). The last known nests were in argan trees in open areas of the Souss,
© Leovigildo Flox
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western High Atlas and Anti-Atlas in 1992 (Thévenot et al., 2003). In the Souss area, the species was extirpated due to rapid destruction of the argan forest (Bergier, 1987; Cherkaoui et al., 2009).
In Algeria, the species used to be common but the last known breeding pair was recorded in 1990 (Isenmann and Moali, 2000). However, there were a few more recent sightings in northern Algeria in 2018, and the species might still be breeding in some isolated places, including the Monts des Ksour in the Parc Culturel de l’Atlas Sa-harien, where it has been sighted a few times, and recently in the Oum El Bouari (north-eastern Algeria) where pictures were taken by Harzallah in 2018 and published in a magazine (per A. Fellous-Djardini and M. Saheb).
In Tunisia, the population was apparently extirpated during the first half of the 20th century and there have been no records since 1988 (Isenmann et al., 2005; eBird, 2020). Finally, there is some evidence of vagrant individuals from sub-Saharan populations in the Moroccan Sahara (MaghrebOrnitho, 2018d) and in Egypt, most recently in May 2015 (OSME, 2019; A. Riad, pers. obs.).
POPULATION
Thévenot et al. (2003) and El Agbani and Qninba (2011) estimated there were a few dozen breeding pairs in Moroc-co, but Bergier et al. (2017) and F. Cuzin (pers. comm.) suggested that the species could be extinct, except maybe in the Atlantic Sahara. Due to the lack of recent breeding observations it can be assumed that the species is nearly extinct in the country (with less than 10 breeding pairs) (per F. Cuzin). In Algeria, there have been very few sightings of the species, though some of them are quite recent from 2017 and 2018 (Fellous, 2017; MaghrebOrnitho, 2018d).
Although there are no monitoring data for this species, it is inferred that the country might host up to 10 breeding pairs (A. Fellous-Djardini, pers. obs.). Therefore, the overall population size for North Africa is thought to be a maxi-mum of 20 breeding pairs or 40 mature individuals (F. Cuzin, A. Fellous-Djardini, P. Bergier, pers. obs.).
HABITATS AND ECOLOGY
The tawny eagle is resident and occurs in discrete populations. It is sedentary, although individuals are nomadic and will occasionally wander long distances, especially juveniles (F. Cuzin, pers. obs.). It breeds in forested areas in North Africa.
It occupies dry, open habitats from sea level to 1,200 m in North Africa (F. Cuzin, pers. obs.). In Morocco, the species occurs (or used to occur) in lowlands, hills and low mountains with argan forests and steppe vegetation in semi-desert areas (Thévenot et al., 2003), while in Algeria it occurred in lowland forest (Isenmann and Moali, 2000). It avoids dense forest, true deserts and high mountains (Clark and Davies, 2018). In Algeria, individuals have been observed in an oasis, close to a village with palm trees, cultivated Atlas mastic trees (Pistacia atlantica), relict forests of Juniperus phoenicea and cliffs in the surroundings (A. Fellous-Djardini, pers. obs.).
The species has a wide prey base ranging from insects to large mammals and birds. It also regularly consumes carrion and robs other raptors of their prey
(Ferguson-Lees and Christie, 2001; Clark and Davies, 2018).
Nesting occurs on large stick nests at the tops of tall, isolated trees. The breeding season in Africa lasts from February/March to August in the north (Ferguson-Lees and Christie, 2001; Thévenot et al., 2003).
Aquila rapax Map created 17/2/2021
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply any official endorsement, acceptance or opinion by IUCN.
North Africa Raptor Red List Extant (non-breeding)
Extant (resident) Possibly Extinct
Aquila rapax Map created 17/2/2021
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply any official endorsement, acceptance or opinion by IUCN.
North Africa Raptor Red List Extant (non-breeding)
Extant (resident) Possibly Extinct
© IUCN
Distribution range of the Tawny eagle, Aquila rapax - (Temminck, 1828) in North Africa. Source: The IUCN Red List of the breeding birds of prey of North Africa.
THREATS
The species' population plummeted in North Africa during the 20th century because of generalised poaching, hunting and especially unintended poisoning (originally targeting livestock predators such as jackals, wolves, feral dogs or leopards), although today this threat seems less important in Morocco (Garrido et al., 2014; Garrido, 2019; Cuzin, 2019). Its scavenging behaviour makes it vulnerable to farmers that use poisons for predator control (F. Cuzin, pers. comm.). The increase and spread of the human population has also caused habitat destruction and disturbance (Bergier, 1987; Stuart and Collar, 1988; Garrido et al., 2005; Vernon et al., 2005; Cherkaoui et al. 2009; Fellous, 2017; BirdLife International, 2018a; Tellería et al.2019), especially in forests because of the use of wood as fuel for cooking and heating and the felling of large trees to clear land for crops and livestock. De-struction and disturbance due to the intense human use of forests are a particular threat to tree-nesting raptors like the tawny eagle, leading it to abandon its breeding territories, especially in Morocco, where its habitat in the Lower Plains has been greatly altered, particularly due to the considerable areas covered by intensive crops, often in greenhouses (F. Cuzin, pers. comm.). Other anthropogenic threats are the fragmentation of habitats due to urban development, expansion of road networks (in Algeria), and construction of dams and power lines, which could also prevent recolonisation in areas where the species has disappeared (A. Fellous-Djardini, F. Cuzin, pers.
comm.). Food availability seems not to be an issue for the species in North Africa as suitable prey are still present in large parts of the region.
CONSERVATION
Conservation and research actions in place: CITES Appendix II. CMS Appendix II. In Morocco, the species is included in the preparation of a raptor conservation strategy (https://www.iucn.org/news/mediterranean/202001/
first-steps-towards-a-moroccan-strategy-raptor-conservation-iucns-guidance). An initiative to identify and cor-rect dangerous power lines has also started in Morocco with the collaboration of governmental bodies and NGOs (Godino et al., 2016; Martín Martín et al., 2019).
Conservation and research actions needed: The presence of the species needs to be confirmed in Morocco and Algeria. A Conservation Action Plan should be developed, including a feasibility analysis for a reintroduction programme. Bird-friendly structures should be installed on power lines to prevent electrocution and collisions.
Greater control over the use of pesticides and poisons is needed. Systematic monitoring of the species should be increased, as should the restoration and protection of its habitat. The suitability of a reintroduction programme in Morocco should also be assessed.
Assessor(s): Fellous-Djardini, A., Cuzin, F., Saheb, M., Bergier, P., Benmammar Hasnaoui, H., Radi, M., Noaman, M., Essetti, I., Onrubia, A. & Riad, A.
Reviewer(s): Garrido López, J.R. & Qninba, A.
Contributor(s): Gyenge, P., Bakass, B. & BirdLife International Date: 2020–09–07
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