This globally threatened eagle inhabits humid forests and swamp forests from Central Europe to China. It hunts in the swamps and wet meadows and along the adjacent rivers. Its winter quarters are mainly in south-western Asia, from Turkey to Arabia and India, and in north-eastern Africa. Since the beginning of this century it undergoes a constant decline and contraction of its breeding area. Its total European population is estimated at 875 breeding pairs, 800 of which inhabit Russia (EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds). The Greater Spotted Eagle is distributed from eastern Poland and the Kaliningrad area to the Pacific Ocean, in south-east Siberia and Manchuria. In Europe it occurs as a breeding species in Belarus, Finland (?), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania (?), the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

Compared with the similar Lesser Spotted Eagle and other large raptors, the species is very poorly known. During the breeding season it is an essentially dispersed species nesting at very low densities. At this time the species needs large wet forests bordering humid meadows, bogs, marshes and other wetlands. It mainly breeds in deciduous lowland forests, but sometimes in mountain forests, up to 1000 m above sea-level.
During migration and wintering a variety of habitats is used - open landscapes, shrubland, and wetlands - but very little is known about habitat requirements and ecology during this period, which extends over half of the year. There may be regular concentrations of birds in certain wintering areas.

The Greater Spotted Eagle builds a large nest of sticks on trees below the canopy, mostly in deciduous forest and only rarely in coniferous forest.
The clutch most often consists of two, often of only one, and very rarely of 3 eggs. Breeding success is around 0.6-0,7 young per breeding attempt. Breeding probably starts with the laying of the first egg and takes about six weeks. After hatching chicks stay in the nest for circa 63-67 days. There is a high level of unsuccessful pairs. As with the Lesser Spotted Eagle the species' breeding is characterised by Cainism, whereby the older chick kills its sibling within the first weeks after hatching.
Adult plumage is acquired after several (probably 4) years. Greater Spotted Eagles build their own nest, but often use nests of other large birds (e.g. Black Stork, Common Buzzard, Lesser Spotted Eagle).

Very variable, depending on availability of prey species. Mainly small mammals, birds, amphibians, lizards, snakes, small fish, carrion and sometimes insects. Diet generally similar to that of the Lesser Spotted Eagle, but often more and larger birds taken.

There is anecdotal evidence that this species's small population is declining, at a rate likely to exceed 10% in three generations, which qualifies it as Vulnerable. It has suffered from extensive habitat loss and persistent persecution.

The Greater Spotted Eagle is a migratory bird, wintering in southern Europe, southern Asia, the Middle East and Africa as far south as Uganda and Kenya (exceptionally Zambia). There is very little published information about its migration. The species leaves breeding grounds mid-Sept to mid-Oct. In Slovakia and Hungary, adults often seem to remain at or near breeding areas.

article number 1 Title
On the Biology of the Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga Pallas 1811).
Author(s): Graszynski, K., B. Komischke & B.-U. Meyburg 2002
Abstract: A study of Greater Spotted Eagles (GSE)(Aquila clanga), was carried out by direct observation from 20 April to 19 August 1997 in the Biebrza National Park in north-east Poland. This study provided inf..[more]..
Source: Raptors in the New Millennium. Eilat: Intern. Birding & Research Center.
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article number 2 Title
The greater spotted eagle (Aquila clanga): previous, current status and hybridisation in Lithuania
Author(s): Rimgaudas Treinys
Abstract: The Greater Spotted Eagle (Aquila clanga) is a globally threatened species. It is included into the Lithuanian Red Data Book as extinct or probably extinct. During fieldwork in 2000ñ2004 four nonterri..[more]..
Source: Acta Zoologica Lituanica, 2005, Volumen 15, Numerus 1
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article number 3 Title
Migrations of an adult Spotted Eagle tracked by satellite
Author(s): Bernd-U.Meyburg, Xavier Eichaker, Christiane Meyburg and Patrick Paillat
Abstract: On 24th October 1993, we caught an adult Spotted Eagle north of Taif 1 in Saudi Arabia. Its weight was 1,900 g and its wing-length 53 cm. A 48-g PTT was attached as a backpack with teflon ribbon and s..[more]..
Source: onbekend boek
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article number 4 Title
Aquila Clanga in Asia
Author(s): Edited by NJ Collar, AV Andreev, S Chan, MJ Crosby, S Subramanya and JA Tobias
Abstract: There is anecdotal evidence that this species's small population is declining, at a rate likely to exceed 10% in three generations, which qualifies it as Vulnerable. It has suffered from extensive hab..[more]..
Source: Threatened Birds of Asia
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article number 5 Title
Genetic differentiation and hybridization between Greater and Lesser Spotted Eagles (Accipitriformes: Aquila clanga, A. pomarina)
Author(s): Helbig, A.J., Seibold, I., Kocum, A., Liebers, D., Irwin, J., Bergmanis, U., Meyburg, B.-U., Scheller, W., Stubbe, M. & S. Bensch (2005)
Abstract: Greater and lesser spotted eagles (Aquila clanga, A. pomarina) are two closely related forest eagles overlapping in breeding range in east-central Europe. In recent years a number of mixed pairs have ..[more]..
Source: J. Ornithol. 226-234
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