A number of threats have been highlighted for outside of UAE, which could have an impact on individuals within the country. In Oman, oil exploitation represents a threat to the species (Symes et al. 2015). In the wider Arabian Peninsula, the species suffers from a declining food availability, as its prey is exploited by humans (Symes et al. 2015).;There are records of mortality as a result of electrocution when perching on power lines, but no data to suggest any substantial demographic impact. The development of wind farms in flyways may affect migrating adult eagles, and locally may cause effective habitat loss and lead to collisions and direct mortality (Watson 2010, Katzner;et al. 2012b). In addition, afforestation, long term changes in food supply, including reduced livestock carrion through changing management practices and climate change, may threaten the species in future (Watson 2010).

It is uncertain whether this species is impacted by any specific threats within UAE, although collisions with powerlines are possible. It does face a range of threats across its global range, all of which could impact individuals that visit UAE, and these are described below.Breeding sites are threatened primarily by intensive forestry in the mountains, and by the shortage of large indigenous trees in the lowlands (e.g. illegal tree cutting affected several pairs in Russia [Karyakin et al. 2009a] and Bulgaria).;The species is sensitive to human disturbance, which means its breeding range can be highly restricted by human presence and infrastructural development in Central Europe (and probably elsewhere in its range e.g. Karyakin;2011) (M. Horváth in litt. 2016). Infrastructural and settlement network was the primary cause for the absence of the species at more than 30% of its potential habitats at the Hungarian Plain (Horváth 2009).Other threats are loss and alteration of feeding habitats, shortages of small and medium-sized prey species (particularly ground-squirrels Spermophilus spp.), nest robbing and illegal trade, shooting, poisoning, electrocution by powerlines and collisions with vehicles. An average of c.450 Eastern Imperial Eagles were killed by powerlines during the 2009 breeding season in the Altai region -“ 25% of the total population of the region (Karyakin et al. 2009b). Habitat alterations associated with agricultural expansion threaten historical and potential breeding sites in former range countries. In Central Europe intentional predator poisoning became the first cause of mortality from 2006 onwards affecting more than 80 specimens in 10 years only in Hungary (Horváth et al. 2011, M. Horváth in litt. 2016). Hunting, poisoning, prey depletion and other mortality factors are also likely to pose threats along migration routes and in some wintering areas. Competition for nest sites with Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga has been reported in the Altai region, Russia (Karyakin et al. 2009c).

Within the UAE, development and habitat degradation may be having an impact on the species. The potentially temporary nature of some artificial sites, could impact upon this species too. A reduction in the amount of carrion left out could mean reduced food supplies for this species.The following threats are relevant at the global level, and as such likely impact individuals that pass-through/overwinter in UAE, even if the threats only occur outside of the country. The species has declined in the west of its breeding range, including extirpation from Romania, Moldova and Ukraine, as a result of the conversion of steppes to agricultural land combined with direct persecution (Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001, Meyburg and Boesman 2013).;It is also adversely affected by power lines and is very highly vulnerable to the impacts of potential wind energy developments (STRIX 2012, Meyburg and Boesman 2013). It was recently found to be the raptor most frequently electrocuted by power lines in a study in western Kazakhstan (Levin and Kurkin 2013). Three sets of factors have been identified as having detrimental impacts on the species in Russia and Kazakhstan: increased mortality owing to collisions with power lines, poisoning and direct persecution; a reduction in the area of suitable habitat and a reduction in available food; poor breeding success owing to destruction of nests and juvenile mortality during spring fires and disturbance by people and livestock (Strategy of the Steppe Eagle Conservation in the Russian Federation 2016). Young eagles are taken out of the nest in order to sell them to western European countries (Mebs and Schmidt 2006). A decline in the number of birds and a reduction in the proportion of juveniles migrating over Eilat, Israel began immediately after the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, leading Yosef and Fornadari (2004) to suggest that the species may have been affected by radioactive contamination. This species is vulnerable to the veterinary drug diclofenac (Sharma et al. 2014), which was intensively used in the species's wintering range in Pakistan and India (M. Horvath in litt. 2016).

Within the UAE artificial habitats that favour this species within the UAE may be transient, so monitoring of such habitats will be important. However, as a migratory species, the key threats to Greater Spotted Eagle appear to come from outside of the UAE, and so threats from outside of the country need to be taken into account.;There is strong evidence of hybridisation between this species and Lesser Spotted Eagle Clanga pomarina (Bergmanis et al. 1997, Lohmus and Vali 2001, Dombrovski 2002, Vali et al. 2010). In some European countries mixed pairs can constitute 50% of Greater Spotted Eagle pairs (Maciorowski and Mizera 2010) or even more (Vali 2011). It is unclear whether this represents a new phenomenon or a conservation concern, but C. pomarina is far more numerous than C. clanga in the zone of overlap, and the range of C. pomarina appears to be spreading east, further into the range of C. clanga. Other key threats are habitat destruction and disturbance, also poaching and electrocution can be considered important. Suitable habitat mosaics have been lost as a result of afforestation and wetland drainage. In eastern Europe, agricultural intensification and the abandonment of traditional floodplain management have reduced habitat quality (A. Làµhmus in litt. 1999).;Birds are intolerant of permanent human presence in their territories. Forestry operations are a major cause of disturbance. Shooting, deliberate and accidental poisoning are a threat to this species in several areas across its global range, including Russia, the Mediterranean, South-East Asia and Africa (per;P. D. Round in litt. 1998, P. Mirski in litt. 2012). In Israel, poisoning and electrocution are major causes for casualties of wintering population (Perlman and Granit 2012).

Globally there are no major threats to this species, and it is assumed that there are no significant threats to the species within UAE. Some trapping may occur, as happens for Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus;(see Aspinall 1996).

As a migratory species, the population of Pallid Harrier that visits UAE may be impacted by threats within the country and outside of it. Within its breeding range, the species is primarily threatened by the destruction and degradation of steppe grasslands through conversion to arable land, burning of vegetation, intensive grazing of wet pastures and the clearance of shrubs and tall weeds (Galushin et al. 2003, E. Bragin in litt. 2007). Fires are started by farmers, arsonists and dry thunderstorms(E. Bragin in litt. 2007). Outside of its breeding grounds, the species is thought to be negatively affected by the loss of grassland due to burning, cutting and overgrazing (Galushin;et al.;2003) and by the intensification of agriculture (R. Simmons in litt. 1999, Galushin et al. 2003), although this requires further research; and the latter is not deemed to be a particular threat within the UAE.

Within the UAE, the main threat to this species may come from wetland land-use changes. As a migratory species, individuals that visit the country face a range of threats outside of the country as well. BirdLife International (2015) highlighted some of these as wetland desiccation and drainage; persecution; pollution, especially from excessive pesticide use in and around wetlands (although widespread bans have reduced this threat somewhat), and poisoning by heavy metals, notably the consumption of lead-shot through feeding on contaminated waterbirds (del Hoyo et al. 1994, Ferguson-Lees and Christie 2001, Orta et al. 2014). The species is also highly vulnerable to the effects of potential wind energy development (STRIX 2012).

The species is known to face a very large range of threats that are having a severe impact on the global population. The population that visits the UAE, however, is probably naturally very small because it is at the very edge of its range in the country. It is probably naturally limited here by the lack of appropriate breeding sites, or possibly from the lack of large predators and their prey, and so the remains they feed on (Aspinall 1996). Instead, the principal food source in the region is potentially from dead domestic stock (Aspinall 1996), and this could potentially bring it into conflict with farmers. In the wider region it has been noted that the species may face persecution, and it could also be impacted by the poisoning of feral dogs/wolves (Symes et al. 2015). There is no evidence of any local susceptibility to diclofenac poisoning, which has impacted global vulture populations, but this should be monitored (Symes et al. 2015).

Aspinall (1996) says that there are no threats known to this species within UAE, while Symes et al. (2015) specifies only nest predation by White-tailed Mongoose Ichneumia albicauda;as a threat across the breeding population in the whole Arabian Peninsula. As for Lappet-faced Vulture Torgos tracheliotos, though, the species faces a large range of threats across its global range, and within UAE monitoring of other potential threats should occur. In particular persecution, and any potential impacts from poisoning (either due to diclofenac and other Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs[NSAIDs; see Botha et al. 2017] or as a byproduct of poisoning feral dogs/wolves [see Symes et al. 2015]).

Aspinall (1996) identifies several key threats to this species within the UAE. Introduced mammals (e.g. cats) can have impacts at breeding sites, as well as industrial and oil development on breeding islands (Aspinall 1996). Additionally, dredging, pollution and anthropogenic disturbance are also priority threats to address (Aspinall 1996). The building of connection causeways to the mainland can result in pairs abandoning nesting sites (Aspinall 1996), and birds can become entangled in and killed by discarded plastic that is used as a nesting material (Aspinall 1996). In the wider Arabian Peninsula it has been noted that the species faces a threat from nest predation by White-tailed Mongoose;Ichneumia albicauda;(Symes et al. 2015).