Efforts to protect threatened species show real results when they are sustained and backed by institutions. The Iberian lynx and the bearded vulture stand as notable successes, yet many other species follow a similar pattern. In the Iberian Peninsula, the breeding population has reached 841 pairs, with almost half of them in Castilla-La Mancha, where 396 pairs of these birds of prey are registered. The species teetered on the edge of extinction in the 1970s, when only 39 pairs remained across the peninsula.
The Iberian imperial eagle working group, made up of representatives from environmental authorities in Spain and Portugal and guided by experts and specialized organizations, presented the outcomes of monitoring and conservation efforts for one of Spain’s emblematic species and the peninsula’s only endemic bird of prey.
Between 2021 and 2022, at least 841 pairs of Iberian imperial eagles were recorded, with 821 in Spain and an estimated 20 in Portugal. This marks a 53 percent rise since 2017, the year a coordinated census was compiled under the Iberia project, which counted 536 couples.
The species remains present across five Spanish autonomous communities, and the number of provinces with established regions has grown. As of the latest coordinated census, Granada, Cuenca and Palencia already host breeding pairs in 2018.
Distribution by Autonomy
Castile-La Mancha leads with the largest number of breeding pairs, totaling 396 in the 2022 census, which accounts for 47 percent of the national total. The region’s extensive habitats, notably in the Tagus valley, the Sierra Morena area, and the Campo de Montiel, have supported a sustained increase in pairs and overall numbers. Distribution within Castile-La Mancha shows the eagle choosing broad, favorable landscapes over time.
Within its borders, the province of Toledo emerges as a key stronghold with 212 registered couples.
Andalusia has also seen a meaningful increase, rising from 70 pairs in 2011 to 136 in 2022, reflecting a notable expansion of the eagle’s range into the Subbéticas mountain range and the province of Granada in recent years.
Castile and Leon reports 131 couples, with a clear northward expansion trend. Madrid registers a high density of royal eagles, totaling 83 pairs in 2022 (up from 30 in 2008). Extremadura shows growth as well, with 75 couples counted in 2022. In Portugal, at least 17 pairs were recorded, with estimates suggesting up to 20 pairs, primarily distributed across the Alentejo region and areas bordering Extremadura.
Backstory: From 39 to 841
The Iberian imperial eagle has shown a strong upward trajectory since monitoring and conservation programs began, especially after the species was included in the national Catalogue of Threatened Species. The first national census, conducted by Jesus Garzón in 1974, counted just 39 pairs. Fourteen years later, the population exceeded one hundred pairs (104) and continued to grow, averaging about 6 percent per year until reaching 841 pairs in 2022. A new full census is anticipated to confirm the ongoing growth trend.
Key efforts have focused on adapting technical features of power line supports to reduce electrocution, which remains the main non-natural cause of death for the Iberian imperial eagle. Protecting the birds from these hazards has proven essential to raising survival rates.
Unnatural deaths have also resulted from poisoning with illegal baits placed in the wild, with 195 carcasses identified between 1992 and 2017. Regional action plans, preventive measures, and enforcement against poison baiting have contributed to a decline in this threat in recent years.
These efforts reflect a broader commitment to safeguarding biodiversity on the peninsula, combining habitat protection, monitoring, and proactive conflict mitigation to sustain the recovery of the Iberian imperial eagle.
Environment authorities continue to coordinate research and conservation actions to ensure ongoing progress, supported by data from ongoing surveys and field studies. The shared objective remains clear: to secure a resilient future for the Iberian imperial eagle across its historic range.