Steppe Eagle spotted for the first time in Austria

A bird watcher has reported seeing a rare Steppe Eagle in Austria, the first time that the bird has been seen here.

Steppe Eagles are rare in central Europe and overwinter in East Africa – making their way to southern Russia in April.

The eagle spotted by bird watcher Doris Walter is the first of its kind to be seen in Austria. Walter, who is an experienced bird watcher, took a number of pictures of the eagle.

Hans-Martin Berg, Ornithologist at the Vienna Museum of Natural History, explains the deviation of the Steppe Eagle with the youth of the animal. He said: “An immature Steppe Eagle likes to break away from the regular routes of its parents, and they are not as eager to reach the breeding ground.”