As its preferred habitat seldom overlaps with larger eagles such as golden eagles and white-tailed eagles, the eastern imperial eagle is usually the top avian predator in its breeding grounds. In particular, smaller raptors with largely overlapping diets (i.e. ground squirrels, hamsters, voles & lagomorphs) and habitat preferences such as saker falcons (Falco cherrug) and long-legged buzzards (Buteo rufinus) are often at a disadvantage in direct competition with the eagle species.Bagyura, J., Szitta, T., Haraszthy, L., Viszló, L., Fidlóczky, J., & Prommer, M. (2012). Results of the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) conservation programme in Hungary between 1980–2010. Aquila, 119, 105-110.Udvardy, M. D. F. (1951). The significance of interspecific competition in bird life. Oikos, 3(1), 98-123.Lindeman, G.V. (1985). [The Barrow Buzzard (Buteo rufinus Cretzschm.) in the interstream area between Volga and Ural Rivers.] 90: 27-37. In Slovakia, some pairs of imperial eagle were reported to kleptoparasitize other raptors as a matter of routine. Here, four species consisting of saker falcons, western marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus), black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus) and Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) as well as red foxes were all robbed of their catches with a remarkable degree of success by imperial eagles. The eagles so heavily depleted the falcons' catches that the falcons’ nesting attempts failed. A still swifter falcon than the saker, the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) was observed successfully robbing imperial eagles and a few other raptorial birds several times when the species nested near each other in the lower Sakmara river of Russia (although in one case, a juvenile peregrine was killed by the golden eagle it was attempting to rob). Interestingly, many of the imperial eagle kills that were robbed by the peregrines were other species of bird of prey.Moshkin, A. (2009). Kleptoparasitism-One of Hunting Technique of the Peregrine Falcon that Became Common under Condition of the Increase in its Number in the Southern Ural Mountains, Russia. Raptors Conservation, (17). In Tatarstan, Russia it was found that eastern imperial eagles have begun nesting in atypical habitats and locations, namely the old nests of white-tailed eagles in isolated trees amongst open wetlands and old nests of a greater spotted eagle in densely wooded bogs. Despite the remaining presence of both other eagle species in the area, competition is probably not the driver for the imperial eagle altering its nesting habits but instead, it is likely due to the heavy human-caused depletion of the imperial eagles preferred prey of ground squirrels and hamsters in the area, with the wetland-located nests putting them close to currently reliable alternate primary foods, mainly water birds.Bekmansurov, R. H., Karyakin, I. V., & Shnayder, E. P. (2015). On Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) breeding in atypical habitat under competitive conditions with other eagle species. Slovak Raptor Journal, 9(1), 95-104.
As its preferred habitat seldom overlaps with larger eagles such as golden eagles and white-tailed eagles the eastern imperial eagle is usually the top avian predator in its breeding grounds In particular smaller raptors with largely overlapping diets (ie ground squirrels hamsters voles & lagomorphs) and habitat preferences such as saker falcons (Falco cherrug) and long-legged buzzards (Buteo rufinus) are often at a disadvantage in direct competition with the eagle speciesBagyura J Szitta T Haraszthy L Viszló L Fidlóczky J & Prommer M (2012) Results of the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) conservation programme in Hungary between 1980–2010 Aquila 119 105-110Udvardy M D F (1951) The significance of interspecific competition in bird life Oikos 3(1) 98-123Lindeman GV (1985) [The Barrow Buzzard (Buteo rufinus Cretzschm) in the interstream area between Volga and Ural Rivers] 90 27-37 In Slovakia some pairs of imperial eagle were reported to kleptoparasitize other raptors as a matter of routine Here four species consisting of saker falcons western marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus) black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus) and Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) as well as red foxes were all robbed of their catches with a remarkable degree of success by imperial eagles The eagles so heavily depleted the falcons' catches that the falcons’ nesting attempts failed A still swifter falcon than the saker the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) was observed successfully robbing imperial eagles and a few other raptorial birds several times when the species nested near each other in the lower Sakmara river of Russia (although in one case a juvenile peregrine was killed by the golden eagle it was attempting to rob) Interestingly many of the imperial eagle kills that were robbed by the peregrines were other species of bird of preyMoshkin A (2009) Kleptoparasitism-One of Hunting Technique of the Peregrine Falcon that Became Common under Condition of the Increase in its Number in the Southern Ural Mountains Russia Raptors Conservation (17) In Tatarstan Russia it was found that eastern imperial eagles have begun nesting in atypical habitats and locations namely the old nests of white-tailed eagles in isolated trees amongst open wetlands and old nests of a greater spotted eagle in densely wooded bogs Despite the remaining presence of both other eagle species in the area competition is probably not the driver for the imperial eagle altering its nesting habits but instead it is likely due to the heavy human-caused depletion of the imperial eagles preferred prey of ground squirrels and hamsters in the area with the wetland-located nests putting them close to currently reliable alternate primary foods mainly water birdsBekmansurov R H Karyakin I V & Shnayder E P (2015) On Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) breeding in atypical habitat under competitive conditions with other eagle species Slovak Raptor Journal 9(1) 95-104