Hawks and eagles
Greater Spotted Eagle
Copied!
Aquila clanga
Copied!
How to recognize it
-
Large, compact raptor; broad long wings, short rounded tail
-
Adults uniformly dark brown with yellow bill; nape and undertail slightly paler
-
Juveniles dark with pale drop-shaped spots above and clear wing bars from pale coverts
-
Most often over wetlands, floodplains, bogs, and wet forest edges; heavy flight, soaring on almost flat wings
About the species
The Greater Spotted Eagle has a dark, heavy look, with broad wings and a rather compact shape in the air. Adults are almost uniformly brown, while young ones stand out more because of the pale drop-like spots across the upperparts.
It is usually quiet away from the breeding season, but becomes more vocal then. It hunts from high in the air or from the ground, and often uses open perches, waiting there to scan for prey.
It is tied to wet country — floodplains, marshes, river edges, lakeshores, and mixed woods near water. Its food is mainly water voles, but it also takes other rodents, frogs, reptiles, and small prey, and it leaves for wintering areas in India, Iran, and Indochina.
Where to find
-
Along the edge of old floodplain parks with big trees, Greater Spotted Eagle often uses a treetop lookout and then drops low over the water to hunt.
-
By pond margins, canal banks, and quiet river shores with reedbeds or wet meadows, watch for a dark raptor gliding over the open strip of shore in search of voles and frogs.
-
On the outskirts of boggy city areas and damp vacant lots, it may sit on the top of a lone tree or utility pole, scanning the ground for movement.
-
During migration, it can pass over riverside meadows and fields near water, circling high as a broad-winged dark silhouette.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Aquila clanga Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Greater spotted eagle Encyclopedia article