Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies

Greater Spotted Eagle

Clanga clanga

Accipitridae Declining

The greater spotted eagle (Clanga clanga), also called the spotted eagle, is a large migratory bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.

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In Türkiye

Seasonal status

Winter visitor

Arrives in autumn and leaves in spring; summer records are almost absent.

Most records in February–March and October–November.

Where it stands out

EdirneMersinKaramanBilecikKütahya

Provinces where it makes up the largest share of bird records.

Records by month

Adjusted for how many birdwatchers are out each month; the busiest month = 100%.

19,216 records from Türkiye · #54 of 634 species by number of records. Source: GBIF.org (October 2026). All birds of Türkiye

About

It is a member of the subfamily Aquilinae, commonly known as "booted eagles". It was once classified as a member of the genus Aquila, but has been reclassified to the distinct genus Clanga, along with the two other species of spotted eagle.

During breeding season, greater spotted eagles are widely distributed across Eastern Europe, parts of Central Europe, central Russia, central Asia and parts of China, along with other isolated areas. During winter, they migrate, primarily to South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the upper Mediterranean Basin, and parts of East Africa. Greater spotted eagles favor wetter habitats than most other booted eagles, preferring riparian zones as well as bogs, lakes, ponds, and other bodies of water surrounded by woodland. They breed primarily on floodplains, especially ones that experience high water levels. During winter and migration, they often seek out similar wetland habitats, but have also been observed in dry upland areas such as savanna plateaus.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)