Grassland Alterations Do Not Affect Breeding Success, but Can Explain Dietary Shifts of a Generalist Raptor Species

Habitat alteration is a widespread threat severely affecting large raptors because of their low density and the huge area they inhabit. In this study, we assessed whether human-driven habitat alterations mediated dietary shifts apex predators, focusing on Eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca). Following bottom-up conception (before–after), evaluated effect grassland change eagle’s shift breeding success. Land use patterns underwent significant transformation over study period, creating decrease in grasslands. The territories lost an average 25.79% shifts, but had no reproductive consequences for eagles. Eagles became 1.90 times more likely to predate northern white-breasted hedgehog 1.62 forage white stork period after alteration. frequency tortoises also increased, were 4.04 be predated years transformation. Conversely, brown hare was 0.51 less consumed loss while likelihood 0.54 lower rodents 0.64 European souslik. Doves, meanwhile, 2.73 following destruction. We found that presence biomass songbirds correlated negatively with success eagles, supply from souslik associated success, stork’s resulted positively progeny. Diet diversity did not have reproduction. responses these eagles may vary across territories, depending how rank prey, as territory powerful factor shaping top predator. Our results offer new evidence link between alteration, contributing our understanding enigmatic mechanism through which predator successfully adapts large-scale land pattern by increasing specialization. recommend restoration complexity, including preservation field margins, patches scattered small shrub formations, margins medium-sized arable lands, promotion measures traditional management gradual grazing, ban shredders.