Description:

Large, with large head, very deep and mostly pale bill, relatively small body. Adult has almost uniform upperwing, small white scapular patches, golden-buff crown and nape, and two-toned tail. Juvenile has pronounced curve to trailing edge of wing, pale wedge on inner primaries, streaked buffish body and wing-coverts.

Distribution:

Rare passage migrant or vagrant through all the major valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan. Prefers open habitats with old isolated trees, cultivated areas, steppe plains, deserts and around large wetlands. Usually found below 2000m.

Behavior:

Prey caught mainly on ground by perch hunting or by soaring, usually with a short stoop or dive to ground. Often hunt co-operatively. Non-territorial birds often associate with other large eagles. Small to medium-sized mammals are main prey in most areas. Birds (including domestic chickens) generally taken in small proportions; carrion also eaten, especially in winter and during migration.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Imperial Eagle in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Imperial Eagle

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.