Aquila clanga
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The greater spotted eagle (Clanga clanga), also called the spotted eagle, is a large migratory bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is a member of the subfamily Aquilinae, commonly known as "booted eagles". It was once classified as a member of the genus Aquila, but has been reclassified to the distinct genus Clanga, along with the two other species of spotted eagle.
During breeding season, greater spotted eagles are widely distributed across Eastern Europe, parts of Central Europe, central Russia, central Asia and parts of China, along with other isolated areas. During winter, they migrate, primarily to South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the upper Mediterranean Basin, and parts of East Africa. Greater spotted eagles favor wetter habitats than most other booted eagles, preferring riparian zones as well as bogs, lakes, ponds, and other bodies of water surrounded by woodland. They breed primarily on floodplains, especially ones that experience high water levels. During winter and migration, they often seek out similar wetland habitats, but have also been observed in dry upland areas such as savanna plateaus.
The eagle is an opportunistic forager, especially during the winter. It will readily scavenge a variety of food sources, including carrion, as well as small mammals (principally rodents), frogs, and a variety of smaller birds (especially water birds), and occasionally reptiles and insects. The eagle is primarily an aerial hunter, gliding from concealed perches over marshes or wet fields to catch prey.
This species builds stick nests in large trees, laying a clutch of one to three eggs. The female of a pair incubates and broods the young while the male hunts and delivers prey. Parents rarely raise more than one fledgling per year. As is common among a few species of raptors, the oldest chick is much larger than its younger siblings, and will often attack and kill the younger siblings.
The greater spotted eagle's range overlaps with the closely related lesser spotted eagle (Clanga pomarina). The two species are known to breed together frequently, forming hybrid offspring, which is detrimental to the population of the rarer greater spotted eagles. The greater spotted eagle is classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Its populations are threatened by habitat destruction, collisions with objects, and hybridization with lesser spotted eagles. Wikipedia →
Recording0:14
Russia · 2025
© Константин Селивёрстов · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
Recording0:18
Russia · 2026
© Евгений Маринкин · iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keoladeo National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Kaziranga National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Mudumalai National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Bale Mountains National Park | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | |
| 5 | Gir National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 7 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 8 | Nagarhole National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 9 | Periyar National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 10 | Bandipur National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 11 | Manas National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 12 | Hortobágy National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 13 | Lake Nakuru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 14 | Doñana National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 15 | Ranthambore National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 16 | Biebrza National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 17 | Camargue | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 18 | Kanha National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vasai-Virar | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Riyadh | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | |
| 3 | Surat | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Chennai | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 5 | Mumbai | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Kuwait City | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | |
| 7 | Dubai | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | |
| 8 | Ponnani | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 9 | Thrissur | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 10 | Kalyan-Dombivli | 🇮🇳 India |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | |
| 2 | Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 3 | Castellar Zoo | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | |
| 5 | مركز كلباء للطيور الجارحة | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Spotted Eagle sighting in Chennai on a given day, based on 235 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 108th most-seen of the 223 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Spotted Eagle in Chennai on a given day, against under 5% in March–October and December–January, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Greater Spotted Eagle sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
4th of 27
Of the 27 cities where we can rate Greater Spotted Eagle sightings, Chennai ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Vasai-Virar (India, about 10%), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia, about 10%) and Surat (India, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Greater Spotted Eagle is recorded against all the birds logged in Chennai (235 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
