Lesser Spotted Eagles
Birds of Prey ... The Sport of Falconry
The Lesser Spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina) is a large bird of prey. It is about 60 cm in length and has a wingspan of 150cm. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae.
It has two populations. The birds that breed in central and eastern Europe winter in Africa, but there is a resident Indian race, which is now considered a separate species, the Indian Spotted Eagle Aquila hastata. This eagle lays 1-3 eggs in a tree nest.
This is a species of open or lightly wooded country, which hunts small mammals and similar terrestrial prey.
This is a medium-sized eagle. Its head and wing coverts are pale brown and contrast with the generally dark plumage. The head and bill are small for an eagle. There is often a white patch on the upperwings. The juvenile has less contrast in the wings, but larger areas of white.
The call is a dog-like yip.
This is a wary species in Europe, but in India can be approached quite closely for a large raptor.
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