Great spotted eagle description. Great spotted eagle (aquila clanga)

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Appearance. Almost always very dark, uniform color, sometimes with a whitish spot on the rump. Juveniles have light teardrop-shaped dots on their upperparts. A flying bird's tail appears short.
The sonorous “kyak-kyak-kyak” and various trills.
Habitats. Mixed forests interspersed with river valleys, meadows, swamps and wetlands within the forest and forest-steppe zones.
Nutrition. It feeds on rodents, birds, frogs, snakes and large insects. Unlike other eagles, they often hunt not from the air, but on foot. Often lives near bodies of water where ducks nest. It also feeds on carrion.
Nesting sites. It nests in tall, sparse forests, usually near water bodies - in river valleys and swamps.
Nest location. It either builds a nest itself or occupies and rebuilds someone else’s. Located in trees, at a height of 8-12 m from the ground, sometimes up to 25 m.
Nest building material. It is built from relatively thick dry branches.
Shape and dimensions of the nest. The tray is flat, the litter is scanty, mainly made of bark and thin twigs. The nest usually contains fresh green branches. The diameter of the nest is 700-1200 mm, the height of the nest is 600-800 mm, the depth of the tray is about 50 mm.
Features of masonry. A clutch of 2 (sometimes 1) white eggs with purple and brownish streaks, usually few in number. Egg dimensions: (66-72) x (51-54) mm.
Nesting dates. Arrival is in the second half of April. Masonry - in the first half of May. The chicks appear in the second half of June and fly out of the nests around mid-August. Departure takes place in September.
Spreading. The Greater Spotted Eagle is quite widespread in our country, reaching north to Lake Onega, to 60° north latitude in the Urals, to Tyumen and Yeniseisk; to the south - to the Caucasus and Tien Shan; to the east - to the Amur region and the Ussuri region. Outside our borders, it nests in Hungary and the Balkans. In the central zone it is found more frequently than the golden eagle, but is still very rare almost everywhere.
Wintering. Migratory species. Winters in India, Iran, Asia Minor and Indo-China.
Economic importance. Listed in the Red Book of Russia.

Description of Buturlin. The opposite golden eagle Spotted eagles can be counted among our eagles. These are medium-sized eagles, whose wingspan does not exceed 170-175 centimeters. The Greater Spotted Eagle has a wing 49-56 centimeters long. Adult spotted eagles painted brown; young ones are brown, with characteristic ocher-yellowish longitudinal streaks. We have two spotted eagles - large and small, differing from each other in size and details in the structure of the wing.
Spotted eagles prefer mixed forests interspersed with river valleys, meadows, swamps and mochezhins. Such open areas serve as favorite places hunting spotted eagles, which usually search for prey not on the fly, like most birds of prey, but on foot. This is explained by the fact that reptiles - reptiles and amphibians, as well as mice and voles - occupy a significant place in the diet of these eagles. The Greater Spotted Eagle follows birds more often than the Lesser Spotted Eagle; It often stays near bodies of water where ducks nest. Both greater and lesser spotted eagles willingly eat carrion. In their habits and movements, these eagles differ from golden eagles: they are less fast and agile, their flight is more even.
Greater Spotted Eagle arrives It’s early here - at the end of March in the middle zone, in mid-March in the south and in the first half of April in the east. After arrival, the birds repair their nests. In May there are already two motley birds in the nest eggs(less often one or three), measuring approximately 6.8 x 5.4 centimeters. Incubation lasts about 1.5 months. Spotted eagles begin brooding after the first egg is laid, so there is a significant difference in development between chicks. This difference usually leads to the fact that the younger chick dies from the persecution of the older one within the first two weeks after hatching, but if the dangerous period has passed, then both chicks are raised safely by their parents.
In September-October - depending on the area, it begins departure spotted eagles for wintering grounds in India, Iran, Asia Minor and Indo-China. On departure, these eagles are sometimes observed in groups; more often they fly high one after another, in the same direction, but with large intervals. On the fly, you can sometimes hear the voice of a spotted eagle (like “eeh-eeh-eeh...” or “eef-eef-eef...”).
Lesser Spotted Eagle smaller in size; found in Central Europe and inhabits only the western parts of the country - east to the Leningrad and Western regions, as well as Ukraine, at least to the Poltava region. It also nests in Asia Minor, northern Iran and, apparently, in the Caucasus.

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Aquila clanga Pallas, 1811
Bird Class - Aves
Order Falconiformes
Accipitridae family - Accipitridae
Category and status: IV - a poorly studied species.
Red Book of the Russian Federation: 2 - population with declining numbers.
IUCN Red List 96; CITES Appendix 2;
Annex 2 of the Bonn Convention; Appendix 2
Berne Convention; Annex to bilateral agreements concluded by Russia with India and the DPRK on the protection of migratory birds; SPEC-1.

Description of the adult stage and its differences from related species Large (but smaller than the steppe), very dark eagle, sometimes with a whitish spot on the upper tail. The plumage of the head and body is uniform, black and brown. It differs from the steppe eagle, imperial eagle and golden eagle in its uniform, very dark coloring and somewhat smaller size. In field conditions it is practically indistinguishable from the Lesser Spotted Eagle (slightly larger and darker).
Information about biology and ecology It nests mainly in tall, but not too dense, often swampy, forests located near water bodies: in river valleys, lake basins and among swamps. Necessary requirement - availability not far from the nesting area of ​​open feeding biotopes: floodplain meadows, swampy clearings, wastelands, swamps. A massive nest is located in a fork of the main trunk, often on deciduous trees. The voice is a ringing “kyak-kyak-kyak.” The clutch in May consists of 2 white eggs with intense red-brown spots. It feeds on a variety of vertebrates from hares to voles, the main diet being mouse-like rodents and amphibians. It tracks prey in flight or sitting on a branch.
Distribution and occurrence In European Russia it inhabits forest and forest-steppe zones. Outside Russia, the range extends to Finland, Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia. It is a rare species for the Belgorod region. Currently, there is reliable data on the presence of one individual in the territory. The find dates back to 2003.
Limiting Factors Draining and plowing of floodplain meadows, cutting down nesting trees and draining swampy forest areas, increasing the disturbance factor (especially in the forest-steppe zone).
Necessary security measures Nests located in unprotected areas should be declared natural monuments with the establishment of a protective zone around the nest, with a complete ban on logging and reclamation work. It is advisable to build artificial nests and work on keeping one of the chicks in an aviary during the critical period of cannibalism, with subsequent return to the nest.
Security measures taken There are no measures taken for protection.
Sources of information.

The Greater Spotted Eagle is a bird of prey belonging to the family Accipitridae, the genus eagles. Nests in Eastern Europe and central Asia. In winter it migrates to northeast Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. In total, representatives of the species cover 5.5 thousand km during migration. They fly from 150 to 280 km per day. The habitat includes meadows, banks of rivers, lakes, swampy areas, mixed forests. These birds can be found at altitudes of up to 1 thousand meters above sea level.

The feathered predator reaches 59-72 cm in length. The wingspan is 158-180 cm. Body weight varies from 1.6 to 3 kg. Females are larger. Their maximum weight is 3.2 kg. The adult plumage is dark brown. The back of the head and undertail are lighter. The flight feathers are almost black. There are some individuals with ocher-yellow plumage. In young birds under the age of 3 years, the dark plumage of the wings is diluted with white spots, and the back of the head is dark. The limbs are yellow with black claws. The beak is black, the wax is yellow.

Nests are made in trees. Monogamous couples. The female lays from 1 to 3 eggs in the spring. The incubation period lasts 42 days. The eggs are incubated by the female and the male carries the food. The chicks begin to fly at the age of 2 months. At the beginning of October, birds begin migrating to warm countries. It is unknown how many live in wildlife great spotted eagle. There is no data on this issue.

Behavior and nutrition

With the beginning of migration, females and males separate and become solitary birds. So, for example, females nesting in Poland fly away earlier than males towards the Bosphorus. Males fly only after 2 weeks to the south of Albania. At the same time, it should be noted that outside the breeding season, greater spotted eagles can unite in small flocks of up to 10 individuals. These birds are regularly tagged and tracked using a satellite transponder. The so marked male nested in Western Siberia, and flew to Yemen for the winter. That is, the range of movement of these birds is very wide.

Birds of prey are active during the daytime. They feed mainly on small mammals, frogs, waterfowl, and snakes. Mammals account for 55% of the diet. The number of these birds in 2005 was 4.5 thousand nesting pairs. This, naturally, is not enough for a huge habitat region. Russia is considered the birthplace of 3 thousand couples. There are no more than 900 pairs in Europe. The rest of the Greater Spotted Eagles nest in Asian countries. Low population size is associated with loss natural environment habitat and poaching during the mating season. Currently, the International working group to protect these unique birds from complete extinction.

Great Spotted Eagle

AQUILA CLANGA PALLAS, 1811

Order Falconiformes

Family Accipitridae

Status:

Listed globally rare species birds. In the Red Book of the Russian Federation, category II (populations of the European part of Russia and Far East). It is a rare breeding and migratory species in the region.

Description:

Eagle average size. The wingspan does not exceed 170-180 cm. The color of adults is uniform, black and brown. Young ones are blackish-brown, with light, teardrop-shaped streaks on top. Occasionally, including in the territory Orenburg region(Buzuluksky pine forest), there are individuals colored golden yellow (1).

Inhabitant of forest and forest-steppe zones. Inhabits tall forests near water bodies and wet areas, rivers, lakes, and swamps. It nests only in trees. The clutch contains 2 white eggs with bright red-brown spots.

It feeds on small and medium-sized rodents and birds: hamsters, gophers, squirrels, hares, ducks, corvids, owls, buntings, larks, as well as frogs and insects. The flight is fast and agile. Voice - ringing “kyak-kyak-kyak” and various trills. Be careful.

Spreading:

Forest and forest-steppe zones of Eastern Europe and Asia to Altai, Transbaikalia and Primorye. Winters in Western, Southern and Southeast Asia. The territory of the Orenburg region is entirely included in the breeding range of the species.

In the first half of the 19th century, it was common in the foothills of the Urals and the surrounding lowland forests (2). In the last quarter of the last century - a common nesting species in the forests of the middle reaches of the Urals, the lower reaches of Ilek, the valley of the Sakmara River (3), as well as the northwestern forest-steppe regions of the region (4). For the first half of the 20th century, the Greater Spotted Eagle is indicated as the most common of the nesting eagles in the Orenburg region, without any specific materials (5,6).

There is little modern data on nesting sites in the region. In May 1982, a nest with clutches was found in the floodplain forest of the Ural River near the village of Donskoy in the Belyaevsky district (7). Constantly breeds in the Buguruslan region near the village of Polibina, where one pair was recorded in 1980, 1983, 1988 (8). In the 70s, three residential nests were known in the Buzuluksky forest (9). Modern indications (10) of predator nesting in this massif are not supported by specific data. In addition, during the breeding season it was recorded in the Ilek (near the village of Kardailov) and Tashlinsky regions.

Thus, the Greater Spotted Eagle is currently a rare nesting and migratory species in the forest-steppe part of the region. The southern limit of nesting distribution, as in the past (3), is the forests of the valley of the middle reaches of the Urals.

Number and limiting factors. In the 19th century it was common (2-4). The current number, according to an approximate estimate, is 25-30 pairs. Its significant reduction in the 20th century is associated with the cutting down of tall forests, the increased level of disturbance factors, and the deterioration of feeding conditions.

Security measures:

Listed in Appendix II to the CITES Convention (11). No special security measures were taken in the region. It is necessary to identify and protect permanent nesting sites in the rank of natural monuments or micro-reserves, experiments in constructing nesting platforms in suitable habitats, and promotion of conservation.

Sources of information:

1. Dementiev, 1951; 2. Eversmann, 1866; 3. Zarudny, 1888; 4. Karamzin, 1901; 5. Raisky, 1951; 6. Darkshevich, 1950; 7. V. Ryabitsev, personal. message; 8. G. Samigullin, personal. message; 9. Y. Darkshevich, personal. message; 10. Chibilev, 1995; 11. Wildlife Conservation, 1995.

Compiled by A.V. Davygora. Red Book of the Orenburg Region, 1998.

And they are often confused. But it is the spotted eagle that can often be found on the streets of resort towns, seen in circuses and films as tame birds that show amazing intelligence, intelligence, loyalty to humans and patience with people’s attention. The spotted eagle's gaze is filled with wisdom and insight.

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There are two main types of spotted eagle – large and small. The difference between them, according to their names, is the size of the birds. The greater spotted eagle has a wingspan of 170 to 190 cm, weight is in the range of 2-4 kg, body length is 65-75 cm. The plumage is predominantly dark with light streaks. Individuals with light colored plumage are very rarely found.

The Lesser Spotted Eagle is a smaller copy of the large one; the wingspan of this bird is from 100 to 130 cm, weight is from 1.5 to 2 kg, body length is 55-65 cm. The color of the plumage is no different.

Spotted eagles are birds of prey, skilled hunters who never feed on carrion, even if they happen to be left completely without food. Their prey can be very diverse, the main criterion for it is size. Spotted eagles most often hunt small mammals and birds.

Mouse, gopher, rabbit, hare, frog, snake, quail - this is an approximate list of the main diet of spotted eagles. In addition, this species loves to drink and swim in water. The only one of all eagles, the spotted eagle, calmly enters the water, plunging its paws into it.

The Greater Spotted Eagle can also choose piglets, turkeys and hens, and black grouse as hunting objects. But on farms Spotted eagles begin to hunt only in cases where they lack their usual natural food.

Bird distribution

The spotted eagle's habitat is quite wide. The birds are distributed from Finland all the way to the coast of the Azov Sea. In addition, the predator is found in China and Mongolia. It is in Mongolia that the spotted eagle is actively tamed and used by local residents for hunting and protecting their homes from wolves.

Spotted eagles – migratory birds, which go to India, Africa, and the countries of the Middle East (Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Indochina Peninsula) for the winter.

The spotted eagle cannot live in steppes or deserts, since the bird builds its nests on tall trees. In such conditions, it can only be found near rivers, where the spotted eagle finds suitable places for nesting. In the northern regions of their habitat, birds settle on the edges of forests, which border on meadows and fields, and sometimes even swamps.

Common Spotted Eagle Species

The bird's body length is from 65 to 75 cm, weight is in the range of 2-4 kg. Sexual dimorphism is manifested only in the fact that females are larger in size than males. The color of the plumage of adults over 3 years old is uniform, dark brown, with a light nape and undertail. The flight feathers are black with light bases, the tail feathers are dark brown, with a black transverse pattern. Some individuals have an ocher-yellowish color instead of brown. Light-colored Greater Spotted Eagles with buffy-golden plumage are extremely rare. In young birds, the plumage is decorated with light teardrop-shaped spots on the back, which gradually disappear. The beak and claws are black. The cere and paws, feathered to the toes, are yellow.

The species is widespread in Europe (Finland, Poland, Hungary, Romania) and Asia (Mongolia, China, Pakistan). In Russia, the bird nests from Kaliningrad to Primorye. It goes to India, Iran and Indochina for wintering.

Lesser Spotted Eagle (Aquila pomarina)

Body length is from 55 to 65 cm, wing length is 44-51 cm, weight is in the range of 1.5-2 kg.

The bird's habitat is divided into two individual regions. The first one occupies the territory of mixed forests near St. Petersburg, Novgorod, in the west of the Moscow and Tula regions. In addition, the bird lives in the west to the Elbe Valley, in Hungary, Macedonia, Greece, south to the Black Sea, Iraq, Turkey, and India.

Indian Spotted Eagle (Aquila hastata)

The body length of the species is about 65 cm. It is a stocky, medium-sized bird with a large head, short, wide wings and short tail. The plumage of adults is brown.

Breeds in Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Myanmar, Nepal.

Sexual dimorphism in spotted eagles is manifested in the difference in size of females and males. Females are usually larger than their partners.

The spotted eagle is social and family bird. This is a monogamous species that mates once and for all. Spotted eagles also use their nest many times in a row, building and repairing it every year.

A pair of spotted eagles either builds a nest on their own or occupies an empty nest of black storks or hawks. In order for these birds to begin arranging a new nest, something completely unthinkable must happen, for example, a strong hurricane, or a person who cut down a tree will be nearby.

Spotted eagles arrive at their nesting sites at the end of March or at the beginning of April and begin renovating the nest.

In early May, the female lays a clutch, which usually consists of one white egg with brown spots. Two or three eggs for a spotted eagle are very rare. The female does the incubation, and the male gets food for himself and for her.

The incubation period lasts about 40 days. The hatched chicks begin to fly at the age of 7-9 weeks, around mid-August. At this time, they learn to fly and hunt, which is not very easy for young birds, and it is during this period that they can often be caught and tamed.

In natural conditions, the life expectancy of spotted eagles is from 20 to 25 years; in captivity they live up to 30 years.

Spotted Eagle Voice

• Greater spotted eagles, white, sandy or cream colored, were considered sacred birds that bring the will of the gods in ancient cultures. In medieval Europe, it was very prestigious to have such a tame bird and go hunting with it, which was considered a clear sign of the owner’s wealth and luxury. The tame sand-colored spotted eagle was, for example, a favorite of King Frederick of Prussia. And in China, the spotted eagle was a hero of fairy tales and legends, who allegedly hunted werefoxes and helped people on patrol on the towers of the Great Wall of China.
• Spotted eagles are smart and cunning birds that can adapt to changing living conditions. So, for example, if a bird nests near a colony of gophers or voles, it hunts prey from ambush and does not rise high into the air to do this, as it usually does.
• The spotted eagle has a very calm and peaceful character, as well as a sharp mind. Thanks to these qualities, people began to tame and train the spotted eagle. This was written about in almanacs of the 19th century. And today the Mongols and Bashkirs continue to hunt together with spotted eagles. To make a human companion out of a spotted eagle, they choose a teenage chick that can fly and feeds on its own, but has never flown with the flock to its wintering grounds and has not had time to create a pair. Stories are told that if a wounded spotted eagle is released, it will not fly away, but will remain to live with its owner. This is possible if the bird has not been able to fully recover or if it does not have a mate. The family spotted eagle will certainly return to its native nest.
• IN recent years The spotted eagle population began to decline. The causes were human activities such as deforestation, building roads, expanding cities, and installing power lines. For these reasons, predators were included in the Red Book, and the greater spotted eagle was on the verge of extinction.

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