Greater Spotted Eagle

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, Oct 2023, Nov 2023, Mar 2024, Oct 2024

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga
Estimated average number of individuals by week based on eBird data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024
Peak week Oct 29-Nov 04
Early date 24 Oct 2021
Late date 02 Apr 1990
Another raptor which no longer winters regularly in Singapore due to habitat loss, but still encountered quite frequently in the first half of Nov.
Juvenile Greater Spotted Eagle at Balang, Malaysia. Photo credits: Chong Boon Leong
Juvenile Greater Spotted Eagle at Tuas. Photo credits: Koh Lian Heng
Greater Spotted Eagle, fulvescens morph at Neo Tiew Harvest Link. Photo credit: Mohamad Zahidi Hamid
Greater Spotted Eagle from Tuas. Photo credits: Koh Lian Heng
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
Greater Spotted Eagle at Lorong Halus. Photo credits: Nicholas Tan
Juvenile Greater Spotted Eagle at Balang, Malaysia. Photo credits: Low Choon How

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

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Greater Spotted Eagle. Retrieved on December 24, 2024 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/greater-spotted-eagle.

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