Lesser Spotted Eagle

The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a medium-sized bird of prey with dark brown plumage, broad wings and a small bill. While there can be significant variation between the brown plumage tones exhibited by different individuals, the head, neck and upperwings are generally paler than the body and the flight feathers are usually particularly dark. In most birds, but especially noticeable in younger adults, there is also a white patch on the upperwings that can be seen during flight and also a clear-marked white V on the rump. In contrast to the brown plumage, the eyes, feet and the skin at the base of the beak are yellow.

The Lesser Spotted Eagle’s breeding range extends throughout much of central, east and south-east Europe, through Turkey and the Caucasus mountains and as far as southern Russia and Iran. Vagrant individuals occur even further afield, from France and Spain, east to Kazakhstan, north as far as Finland and south to the Arabian Peninsula. During migration, the entire population heads south, passing through Israel on route to the wintering grounds in southern and eastern Africa. Within its breeding range, the Lesser Spotted Eagle can be found in patchy woodland areas, often near meadows and fields, and constructs its nest close to the forest edge.

Date: 15th May 2016

Location: Tõramaa to Tipu road, Soomaa National Park, Estonia