Verreaux’s Eagles Caught Spending Hours Feeding on Goat Carcass

Verreaux’s eagles are known for hunting rock hyraxes, but researchers in Saudi Arabia have recorded the birds repeatedly using a goat carcass as a food source—a behavior not previously confirmed in the Arabian Peninsula. The observation occurred in December 2024, when researchers from CIBIO-BIOPOLIS in Portugal placed goat carcasses at bait stations in the AlUla region of northwestern Saudi Arabia. The stations were designed to study scavenger activity in an arid landscape where heat and limited prey availability can make feeding more difficult. Two eagles arrived less than an hour after one carcass was placed. Cameras positioned around the site recorded the birds’ visits and interactions with other animals. According to the study, one eagle remained at the carcass for more than nine consecutive hours. That length of time was unexpected because Verreaux’s eagles are strongly associated with actively hunting rock hyraxes, including the Cape rock hyrax and the yellow-spotted rock hyrax. Scavenging had been mentioned in a small number of earlier African studies, but the behavior had not been confirmed for the species in the Arabian Peninsula. The researchers say the finding does not yet show how common scavenging is or whether it represents a regular part of the eagles’ diet. It may be an opportunistic response to periods when hyraxes are scarce, but determining that will require monitoring across different seasons and locations, along with information about prey availability and eagle movements. The cameras also recorded unusual effects on the rest of the scavenger community. Brown-necked ravens were present but avoided direct confrontations with the eagles. Canine scavengers visited the carcass only at night, while the eagles were there, suggesting that the birds may influence when other animals can use a carcass. The study does not establish the reason for those patterns. The newly documented behavior also has conservation implications. Poisoning from predator-control efforts and contaminated livestock carcasses is already recognized as a threat to eagles. If Verreaux’s eagles regularly consume carrion, researchers say potential poisoning sources within their range may deserve closer attention.