Greater Spotted Eagle

Aquila clanga

Photo by Akiyo
Photographed: Kagoshima Japan

Distribution

Eurasia and Africa. Breeds from northern European Russia south to Ukraine and east across Asia to the Pacific coast of the Russian Far East and eastern China. In Europe very rare outside Russia but small numbers breed in eastern Poland, northern Romania, Moldova and Belarus. Has bred in Sweden and Finland, Estonia and Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia and Yugoslavia, Israel and Jordan.

Most western birds winter in sub-Saharan Africa but also in northern Greece and Turkey, the Middle East and Egypt. Also occurs in very small numbers in the Po Valley of Italy and southern France, especially the Camargue, in winter. Undergoes a broad-front migration in September-October and does not concentrate at the major migration stations. Return movement in March-April. Regularly wanders to south-east Sweden, Denmark and sometimes the Netherlands in autumn and winter but not seen in Britain since the early 20th Century. A vagrant to Norway, west to Iberia, the Balearic Islands and Morocco, also recorded as a vagrant in Sardinia. Also winters from Iran to Pakistan and throughout most of India and in South-East Asia south to southern Burma and Thailand. A vagrant to Malaya.

Habitat

Breeds in large forests with lakes and swamps, open meadows or heath. Sometimes in more open areas but usually near water.

Bird Song

<flashmp3>Aquila clanga (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

External Links

Search for photos of Greater Spotted Eagle in the gallery

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages