Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus population increase in Italy: hypothesis of root causes

Abstract

This review discusses a hypothesis about the root causes of the increasing trend of the Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus population in Italy, such as: the high productivity rate of the Italian population, the withdrawal of farming and the agricultural landscapes exploited as hunting areas for the species, the increasing maturity of woods exploited as new nesting sites, and the immigration from other areas due to the expansion of the species. In addition, this paper provides an evaluation of the potential population increase yearly rate (PPIYR = 9.5%) in Italy.