Aquila hastata
Silhouette: Shyamal · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The Indian spotted eagle (Clanga hastata) is a large bird of prey native to the Indian subcontinent. Like all typical eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. The typical eagles are often united with the buteos, sea eagles and other more heavy-set Accipitridae, but more recently it appears as if they are less distinct from the more slender accipitrine hawks.
The Indian spotted eagle is about 60 cm (24 in) in length and has a wingspan of 150 cm (59 in). It is broad-headed, with the widest mouth of all spotted eagles. This species is a lighter overall compared to its relatives, with a darker iris that makes the eyes appear darker than the plumage (rather than the other way around as in the two northern spotted eagle species). Adults can be told apart from the greater spotted eagle by its lighter colour, darker eyes, and habitat preference. After about three or four months the young birds are glossy brown with the tips of the head and neck feathers being creamy and giving a spotted appearance. The upper tail coverts are light brown with white giving a barred appearance. The median coverts have large creamy spots. After about eighteen months the bird moults and... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keoladeo National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Kaziranga National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 4 | Royal Bardia National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 5 | Mudumalai National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Bandipur National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 7 | Ranthambore National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vasai-Virar | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Varanasi | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Kolkata | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Lucknow | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 5 | Mumbai | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | Kalyan-Dombivli | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 7 | Mysuru | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 8 | Chennai | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 9 | New Delhi | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 10 | Bengaluru | 🇮🇳 India |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Indian Spotted Eagle sighting in Varanasi on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 77th most-seen of the 92 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 September–October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Indian Spotted Eagle in Varanasi on a given day, against under 5% in March–August and November–January, the lowest months.
Between 4 and 7 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Indian Spotted Eagle sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
2nd of 10
Of the 10 cities where we can rate Indian Spotted Eagle sightings, Varanasi ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Vasai-Virar (India, about 10%).
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the Indian Spotted Eagle that you can see in Varanasi (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are Black Kite (about 50%) and Oriental Honey-buzzard (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Indian Spotted Eagle is recorded against all the birds logged in Varanasi (18 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.
