Greater Spotted Eagle

The Greater Spotted Eagle breeds across forested wetlands of Russia and eastern Europe, wintering in South Asia, the Middle East, and northeastern Africa. It is closely tied to floodplain forest, marsh edges, and other wet lowland habitats, more so than most other eagles of its size.

Flight feathers are broad and heavily fingered, notably darker overall than the closely related Lesser Spotted Eagle, and juvenile covert feathers are boldly and densely spotted white, creating a frosted appearance across the upperwing that is unusually striking among eagles. Legs are densely feathered to the toes, a trait shared with related booted eagles. Adults lack the juvenile spotting and appear almost uniformly blackish-brown.

Adults are a deep, fairly uniform blackish-brown with little contrasting pattern, sometimes showing a paler patch on the uppertail coverts. Juveniles are heavily and evenly spotted white across the wing coverts, one of the most striking juvenile plumages among Eurasian eagles, with the spotting gradually diminishing through successive molts over several years. There is no notable seasonal plumage variation in adults.

This eagle breeds in wet forest, floodplain woodland, and marsh-edge habitat across Russia, eastern Europe, and parts of Asia. It winters in South Asia, the Middle East, and northeastern Africa, making it a long-distance migrant broadly overlapping in winter range with the Lesser Spotted Eagle.

It preys on amphibians, waterbirds, and small mammals near wetlands, frequently hunting from low perches or on foot along marsh edges. Nests are large stick platforms built in tall trees within or near wet forest, and the species gives a deep, barking call, particularly during breeding-season territorial displays.