Greater Spotted Eagle

Scientific Name: Clanga clanga

Malay Name: Helang-Bintik Besar

Chinese Name: 乌雕

Range: Found from eastern Europe to the Indian subcontinent, northern China and Siberia with the northern populations wintering to southern Europe, northeast Africa, Middle East, northern Indian subcontinent, southern China and mainland Southeast Asia

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 65-72 cm

Identification: Adult can be separated from Eastern Imperial Eagle and Steppe Eagle by darker brown plumage, relatively shorter wings, smallish bill, shortish tail and rather uniformly dark underwing pattern with distinctive whitish patch at base of outer primaries. Juvenile resembles adult but has blackish plumage with distinctive whitish spots on upperwing-coverts and buffish streaks on belly and thighs. This species also has a rare fulvescens morph with mostly buffish to rufous body and wing coverts and contrasting black flight feathers and tail.

Similar looking species: Steppe Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle

Habitat: Reclaimed land and open country.

Behaviour/Ecology: Takes carrion.

Local Status: Rare migrant

Conservation Status: Vulnerable (BirdLife International 2021)

Location: Sightings (majority juveniles) in the last 5 years were at Changi, Lorong Halus, Punggol Barat, Kent Ridge Park, Tuas South and Henderson Waves. A fulvescens morph individual was photographed at Changi in Nov 2012.

Featured reports: Oct 2022, Nov 2022

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Greater Spotted Eagle at Henderson Waves. Photo credit: Adrian Silas Tay
Greater Spotted Eagle, fulvescens morph at Neo Tiew Harvest Link. Photo credit: Mohamad Zahidi Hamid
Juvenile Greater Spotted Eagle at Tuas. Photo credits: Koh Lian Heng
Juvenile Greater Spotted Eagle at Balang, Malaysia. Photo credits: Low Choon How
Juvenile Greater Spotted Eagle at Balang, Malaysia. Photo credits: Chong Boon Leong
Greater Spotted Eagle, fulvescens morph at Neo Tiew Harvest Link. Photo credit: Mohamad Zahidi Hamid
External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Greater Spotted Eagle)

References:

BirdLife International. (2021). Clanga clanga. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22696027A203868747.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Singapore Birds Project. (n.d.). Greater Spotted Eagle. Retrieved on May 30, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/greater-spotted-eagle.