Rare migratory bird returns to Oman

Muscat: A rare greater spotted eagle hybrid that was tagged by the Environment Society of Oman (ESO) in January is now on its way back to the Sultanate, according to the non-governmental organisation.
The ESO found the eagle in the vicinity of the Muscat Municipal Landfill and fitted it with a satellite transmitter before releasing it back into the wild. After moving west towards Saudi Arabia, the eagle travelled to Yemen in mid February and was now on its way back north, tracking data with the society showed.
A statement on the ESO’s website detailed its approach to conservation.
“Raptors, or birds of prey, such as eagles, falcons, vultures, hawks and owls are key indicators of the overall health of the ecosystem. Sitting at the top of the food chain, they provide many ecosystem services.
An example of this is that they eat millions of insects, which, if left unchecked, would threaten agriculture crops. They also consume animal carcasses, which, in turn, prevents the spread of disease.”
“Over the last few decades,” the ESO said, “human activities have contributed to the fragmentation and destruction of raptor habitats through development; the intensification of agriculture and other land-use practices; electrocution and collision with power lines; shooting, poisoning and trapping; and reduced breeding success due to pesticides and other contaminants.”