| Abstract: | Land abandonment and afforestation are causing considerable forest expansion in the Alpine chain, with consequent loss of Alpine pastures, the main foraging habitat for Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos. A population of 46 pairs of Golden Eagles was systematically surveyed between 1984 and 1989 in the central-eastern Italian Alps. We measured the amount of woodland within the potential hunting range of 36 pairs. Nearest-neighbour distance was correlated positively with the extent of woodland within the potential hunting range. Productivity was not significantly affected by the amount of woodland within the potential for-aging range. At current rates of forest expansion, such data suggest a 5–9% density decline in the next 20 years. However, increasing food supply and decreasing human persecution could be masking current effects of habitat loss. |
