Greater Spotted Eagle

Physical Characteristics

The Greater Spotted Eagle is a medium-to-large eagle distinguished by its darker plumage and subtle spotting.

Plumage: Adults are uniformly dark brown with a slightly lighter crown and nape. Small pale spots may appear on the upperwing coverts, giving the species its name. Juveniles and immature birds show more prominent pale streaks and mottling, especially on the wing coverts and body, which fade with age. The underwings are dark with lighter flight feathers, providing contrast in flight.

Head & Beak: The head is fairly small and rounded for an eagle, with a strong hooked gray beak tipped in black. The cere (base of the beak) and legs are yellow, while the eyes are a deep brown.

Body & Wings: The body is robust with long, broad wings that are slightly rounded at the tips. In flight, the wings are held flat or slightly raised, and the bird shows a distinctively long neck and small head projection compared to similar eagles.

Size:

• Length (Body): 24–28 in (60–71 cm)

• Wingspan: 5.3–5.9 ft (1.6–1.8 m)

• Tail Length: 8–10 in (20–25 cm)

Weight:

• Adult Female: 5.5–6.6 lbs (2.5–3 kg)

• Adult Male: 4.0–5.5 lbs (1.8–2.5 kg)

The Greater Spotted Eagle’s combination of dark plumage, small head, and broad wings distinguishes it from lighter-colored or more powerfully built eagles, making it a characteristic raptor of marshes, floodplains, and mixed forests across Eurasia.

Reproduction

The reproductive cycle of the Greater Spotted Eagle reflects its dependence on wetlands, river valleys, and forest edges:

1. Mating and Courtship:
Pairs are monogamous and usually return to the same nesting territory each year. Courtship displays include soaring flights, circling together, and vocal calls that reinforce pair bonds.

2. Breeding Season:
Breeding takes place in late spring to early summer (April–June), depending on latitude. Nesting sites are generally chosen in tall trees within or near wetlands, with good access to prey-rich areas.

3. Nesting:
Nests are built of sticks and lined with green branches, grass, and feathers. They measure 2–3 ft (0.6–1 m) across and may be reused or rebuilt annually.

4. Egg Laying and Incubation:
The female usually lays 1–3 eggs, with two being most common. Eggs are whitish with pale markings. Incubation lasts about 42–44 days, performed mainly by the female while the male hunts and delivers food.

5. Hatching and Chick Development:
Chicks hatch asynchronously, creating size differences. Cainism (where the stronger chick may kill the weaker one) is occasionally observed, particularly when food is scarce. Both parents feed and protect the chicks during the nestling stage.

6. Fledging:
The young fledge at around 55–65 days, but remain dependent on parental feeding for several more weeks as they improve flight skills and learn to hunt.

7. Sexual Maturity:
Greater Spotted Eagles reach maturity at about 4–5 years, coinciding with their attainment of darker adult plumage.

The species’ low reproductive rate and reliance on wetland habitats make successful breeding closely tied to the health of its environment, leaving it vulnerable to habitat loss and human disturbance.

Lifespan

The Greater Spotted Eagle is a moderately long-lived raptor, with its survival closely tied to the stability of wetland and forest habitats.

Lifespan in the Wild:
In natural conditions, Greater Spotted Eagles live an average of 16–20 years. Many do not survive their first few years due to high juvenile mortality from starvation, predation, or human disturbance. Adults that secure stable territories generally live longer.

Lifespan in Captivity:
In protected environments such as wildlife parks and rehabilitation centers, individuals may live up to 25–30 years, benefitting from reliable food, absence of predators, and veterinary care.

Threats to the Greater Spotted Eagle:

• Habitat Loss: Drainage of wetlands and conversion of floodplains into farmland are the primary threats.

• Human Disturbance: Logging, agriculture, and recreation near nesting sites often lead to nest abandonment.

• Persecution and Poaching: Although less common today, shooting and poisoning still occur in some parts of its range.

• Hybridization: Overlap with the Lesser Spotted Eagle (Clanga pomarina) has led to hybrid pairs, raising conservation concerns for genetic purity.

• Power Lines: Electrocution and collisions are a significant source of mortality.

Conservation Efforts:
The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Protection of wetlands, anti-poaching patrols, and retrofitting power lines are key strategies to improve survival. International efforts through migratory bird treaties also support conservation.

Eating Habits

The Greater Spotted Eagle is an opportunistic predator with feeding habits centered on wetlands, floodplains, and forest edges.

Diet:
Its primary diet includes small to medium-sized mammals and birds. Common prey are waterfowl such as ducks and coots, small mammals like voles and hares, and occasionally reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Carrion is also consumed, particularly in winter.

Hunting Strategy:
This eagle often hunts from a perch, scanning the ground or water margins before swooping down on prey. It may also hunt while soaring low over wetlands and grasslands, surprising prey with sudden dives.

Scavenging Behavior:
Like many large raptors, it readily feeds on carrion, especially in harsh winters when live prey is scarce. It may join other raptors at carcasses.

Feeding Habits:
Prey is seized with powerful talons and killed quickly. Food is torn apart with the hooked beak, and during breeding season, adults bring captured prey to the nest, often plucking birds before feeding chicks.

Hunting Success:
Its success depends on the health of wetland ecosystems. In degraded or drained habitats, hunting efficiency and breeding success decline sharply.

Pair and Seasonal Feeding:
While primarily solitary hunters, pairs hunt within the same territory during breeding season. In migration or wintering areas, multiple individuals may be seen feeding near rich food sources, such as wetlands with abundant waterfowl.

The Greater Spotted Eagle’s reliance on wetlands for prey makes it a strong ecological indicator species—its presence often reflects the health of marsh and floodplain ecosystems.

Uniqueness

The Greater Spotted Eagle is a distinctive raptor of Eurasia’s wetlands, known for its ecological sensitivity, striking plumage, and conservation importance:

Dark Elegance: Unlike many eagles with golden or pale plumage, this species is uniformly dark brown, with subtle pale spotting on the wings. Its shadowy silhouette makes it stand out among large raptors.

Juvenile Plumage Shift: Young eagles are mottled with lighter streaks and spots, gradually darkening over 4–5 years into the uniform brown adult plumage—an age-related transformation unique to the species.

Wetland Specialist: Unlike steppe or coastal eagles, the Greater Spotted Eagle is strongly tied to marshes, river valleys, and floodplains, making it highly dependent on intact wetland ecosystems.

Hybridization: One of the few eagle species known to hybridize naturally, it forms mixed pairs with the closely related Lesser Spotted Eagle (Clanga pomarina) in overlapping ranges, producing fertile offspring—a rare case among large raptors.

Silent Hunter: The Greater Spotted Eagle is less vocal than many other eagle species, typically calling only during breeding season, making it a discreet presence in its habitats.

Conservation Status: Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, it faces threats from wetland destruction, persecution, and electrocution. Its dependence on intact wetlands makes it an important flagship species for marsh conservation.

Migratory Lifestyle: Northern populations are long-distance migrants, traveling to the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia in winter, while southern populations may be partially resident.

The Greater Spotted Eagle’s dark appearance, hybridization history, and dependence on disappearing wetlands make it one of the most unique and conservation-sensitive raptors in Eurasia.