Lesser spotted eagle
Clanga pomarina
Tomasz Gustyn · Ninotsminda, Samtskhe-Javakheti Georgia field photo
Key facts in one look
- Diet
- Voles, mice, small birds, amphibians
- Status in Georgia
- Breeding bird and passage migrant
- Recorded regions
- Adjara; Shida Kartli; Mtskheta-Mtianeti; Kvemo Kartli; Kakheti; Samtskhe-Javakheti; Tbilisi
- Size
- About 60 cm, wingspan about 1.5 m
- Habitat
- Moist forest edges, meadows
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Protection
- Globally LC (2021); in Georgia LC (2024)
The lesser spotted eagle (Clanga pomarina) is a medium-sized eagle: it is about 60 cm long, with a wingspan of about 1.5 m. It is generally dark, but its head and wing coverts are pale brown. Its head and bill are small for an eagle. It is harmless to people. The 2024 Georgian checklist lists it as a breeding bird and passage migrant. Most observations fall in September, followed by May, April and August. It occurs in Adjara, Shida Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti, Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tbilisi. Both globally and in Georgia it is rated Least Concern (LC).
Identification
Lesser spotted eagle: how to identify it
A medium-sized dark brown eagle with a small head and bill. The head and wing coverts are pale brown and contrast with the dark plumage. There is usually a white patch on the upperwing and a clear white V above the tail.
It is about 60 cm long, with a wingspan of about 1.5 m. Its head and bill are small for an eagle.
The adult is generally dark brown, with a pale brown head and wing coverts. There is usually a white patch on the upperwing, and even adults have a clear white V above the tail. The juvenile shows less contrast on the wing, but has prominent white spots on the flight feathers and a cream patch on the neck.
Clanga clanga is darker and more uniform: it has no white wing patch, and the white V above the tail is less clear. Its juvenile has rows of white spots on the wing coverts and no pale neck patch. The two species sometimes interbreed, and hybrids are almost impossible to identify unless seen up close.
Colour
Swatches are illustrative. Do not identify a species by colour alone.
Often confused with
It breeds at forest edges and prefers moist woodland. Most pairs nest in lowlands, though in mountains it breeds up to 2,200 m. It hunts in open or lightly wooded country: meadows and pastures near woodland. It builds its nest in a tree, usually near the forest edge. It breeds in central and eastern Europe, southeast to Turkey and Armenia, and winters in Africa. In Georgia most records come from Adjara, mainly on the September–October migration. There are many records from Shida Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti and Samtskhe-Javakheti, and fewer from Tbilisi. It is also seen in June and July in Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Shida Kartli, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kvemo Kartli and Kakheti. In Abkhazia, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, Guria and Imereti there are only a few records.
The lesser spotted eagle map combines public iNaturalist observations. Regions are taken from the records-by-region table, and the status column separates regions with enough records from regions with too few records. Record counts reflect observation effort rather than population density. Seven regions have enough records: Adjara, Shida Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti, Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tbilisi.
Data: Reptiles.ge + iNaturalist · Methodology
- Field observation
- Several records in one spot
- Photo record
- Region with records
It feeds mainly on small mammals: voles, ground squirrels, rats and mice. It also takes small birds, amphibians, reptiles and sometimes insects, including termites. It occasionally eats carrion. Which prey dominates differs between parts of its range.
It is a migrant. It leaves its breeding grounds between August and November and returns in March and April. Over long distances it soars on rising warm air, so it avoids large bodies of water. It is usually seen alone or in pairs, but gathers where food is plentiful and migrates in flocks. In Georgia most observations fall in April–May and August–October, with the most in September. Its call is a dog-like yelp. It nests in a tree and lays 1–3 white eggs with buff spots. The female starts incubating from the first egg, so the first chick grows larger than the others and sooner or later kills and sometimes even eats them. More than one chick fledges only in years with very plentiful food.
Globally the lesser spotted eagle is rated Least Concern (LC, 2021). There are 40,000–60,000 mature birds, and numbers are stable. In Europe, home to about 73% of the world population, numbers are rising slightly. The main threats are habitat loss, especially the abandonment of meadows or their conversion to arable land and logging, and hunting. It is shot in large numbers on migration, possibly thousands a year in Syria and Lebanon. Forestry work lowers breeding success. Wind farms and possibly power lines are also a danger. The species is listed in Appendix II of CITES and of the Bonn and Bern Conventions. The 2024 Georgian checklist also rates it Least Concern in Georgia (LC).
Tomasz Gustyn · Antonina Zakharova · Octávio Mateus · leekelai · Eduardo Campos Wals · Gertraud Seiser · Nikita Tiunov
Related guides
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Yes. The 2024 Georgian checklist lists it as a breeding bird and passage migrant. It is seen most often in September.
In Adjara, Shida Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti, Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tbilisi. The most birds pass through Adjara in September and October.
The lesser spotted eagle has a pale brown head and wing coverts, a white wing patch and a clear white V above the tail. The greater spotted eagle is darker and more uniform. The juvenile lesser spotted eagle has a pale patch on the neck.
In a tree, usually near the edge of a moist forest. It hunts over nearby meadows and open land.
It is about 60 cm long, with a wingspan of about 1.5 m. Its head and bill are small for an eagle.
Mainly voles, mice, rats and ground squirrels, as well as small birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects.
The lesser spotted eagle is harmless to people. Both globally and in Georgia it is rated Least Concern (LC), but illegal killing on migration remains a serious threat. The species is listed in Appendix II of CITES.
References
What this profile is based on
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Prepared by the Reptiles.ge editorial team from the sources listed here.
