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Steppe Eagle


Steppe Eagle
Photo Information
Copyright: Yoram Shpirer (shpirery) Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 24 W: 0 N: 88] (1359)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-05-17
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 1D MkII N
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/4000 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Birds of Prey- RAPTORS (II), CeltickRanger's favorite Eagle photos [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-06-13 17:23
Viewed: 4049
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I photographed this picture in the Arava (south of israel)

Steppe Eagle - 70-80 cm,2400-3800 g wingspan 160-200 cm.

Female larger than male. Juvenile and immature almost always have characteristic broad whitish band along greater underwing coverts. Race orientalis slightly smaller and paler.

Habitat.

Steppe and semi-desert. Race nipalensis breeds in mountainous areas, orientalis breeds in lowlands and low hills.

Food and Feeding

During breeding, race orientalis takes especially little suslik (98% of its food). Also takes mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects.
Wintering berds in S Africa take many alate harvester termites and nestling queleas. In E Africa, seems to eat chiefly moles and rats.
Forages mainly by soaring 200 m high and diving down, also ambushes prey, by waiting at burrow entrance, and takes some prey while walking about ground.

Breeding.
Apr-Jul. Timing of arrival in spring and start of breeding highly dependent on availability of chief prey species.
Large platform of sticks often 1 m wide, lined with smaller twigs and many other materials. Usually built on ground in position that allows good view of surroundings.
1-3 eggs, incubation 45 days, Chicks have white down after hatching, later greyish white.

Movements.

Race orientalis completely migratory, leaving breeding areas in late Aug, avioiding crossing of sea, Israel, Suez and Bab al Mandab. Winters in Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, E and S Africa.
Race nipalensis less migratory, wintering mostly in S Asia.
Proframe, lawhill, marhowie, CeltickRanger, JPlumb, SelenE, Raptorman, jmp has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Superb in flight shot Yoram.
Composition and details in the feathers are great while the soft color tones in the BG are wonderful.
Excellent work.
Thanks for sharing.
Best regards, Harry

Congrats Yoram,
This is a superb image.
I like the overall brownish colouration...
TFS
Annick

Hello Yoram,
Great portrait, vivid colors and very sharp
can see perfect the feathers, well composed
nice BG. Thanks for sharing/best regards/Lawhill

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1538 W: 5 N: 2240] (12636)
  • [2007-06-13 20:31]

WoW!!!

Bravo pour la grande qualité d'image et les détails.
Merci!
Joseph

hello Yoram

c'est une superbe photographie, le sujet bien cadré,
je veux dire par cela il ne couvre pas toute l'image,
j'aime cette petite espace qu'il y a devant lui,
et le sujet a de superbes détails dans les plumes et les ailes

BRAVO

Asbed

  • Great 
  • Ken52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 636 W: 93 N: 1243] (4195)
  • [2007-06-13 23:11]

Stunning shot with incredible detail for in-flight. The DOF is outstanding and the background color is perfect to make the subject stand out. The exposure is amazing with such rich natural colors and the shine on the eagle's feathers. My preference would be to have another inch of background at top but you may not have had that option. Outstanding post!

Hi Yoram, excellent capture of this guy in flight. The stopped action is incredible (1/4000 eh?). Exposure is bang on and the depth of field very nicely separates him from his background. Very nice.

Thanks, John

Very nice in-flight pic.
Really tough to realize these type of picture.
Respect !!!

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2249 W: 65 N: 4205] (13972)
  • [2007-06-14 3:29]

Hi Yoram,
Nice to see another post from you again. The light, soft color tones and the details of the plumage are very nice. Very good capture of the Steppe Eagle. TFS
Selen

Hello Yoram , excellent capture , strange pose of this magnificient Steppe Eagle , TFS.

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1659 W: 95 N: 2273] (8415)
  • [2007-06-15 17:07]

Hi Yoram,
Awesome pose. Great to see how powerful way of flying an eagle has!
TFS, José M.

Wow, superb shot Yoram!
Beautiful moment and excellent quality!
TFS and regards,
Serge

very sharp Captured
Well done and TFS
Eyal

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