Lesser spotted eagle

About

The Lesser spotted eagle is the smallest of the 'true' eagles of the Carpathians and probably the easiest to spot. It nests in the forests of the foothills and low mountains near meadows, pastures, hayfields, and river valleys where it hunts. It can be found in Ukraine, Poland (especially in Subcarpathia and the Bieszczady), Slovakia, and Romania.

This medium-sized bird has a wingspan of about 1.4–1.7 m, uniformly brown, with a slightly lighter head and upper wings. Young birds have light spots on their wings. It usually stays low, soaring for long periods over meadows, and often walks on the grass, waiting for prey.

The eagle primarily hunts voles and mice, as well as frogs, lizards, large insects, and nestlings. It is migratory: it arrives in the Carpathians in April and departs for wintering in southern Africa in September. The nest, usually in a tall tree in the forest near meadows, is used for many years. The female typically lays two eggs, but usually only one chick survives.

The main threats to the eagle are the logging of old forests near nests, overgrowth, and the plowing of meadows, which become unsuitable for hunting. Therefore, traditional grazing and haymaking in the Carpathian foothills help this eagle.

The Lesser spotted eagle is listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine as a rare species and in the EU as part of Annex I of the Birds Directive. Nesting sites are not publicly disclosed.

Where in the Carpathians

The map shows where naturalists recorded the species (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records), not every place it lives. The Ukrainian Carpathians are less studied, so a blank area does not mean the species is absent. For rare and vulnerable species the map is deliberately coarse (hexagons of ~250 km² or more) so that it never points to dens, nests or growing sites.

Countries

Poland · Slovakia · Romania · Hungary · Ukraine · Czechia · Serbia · BG · Austria

Mountain ranges

Slovak Ore Mountains, Bieszczady, Low Beskids, Volovec Mountains, Low Tatras, Zemplén Mountains, Pieniny, Slovak Paradise, Bucegi Mountains, Nemira and Bodoc Mountains

Altitude belts

Foothills (below 600 m) · Beech forests (600–1200 m)

When to see it

From naturalists’ observations in the Carpathians (iNaturalist, research grade): the darker the cell, the more often the species is seen that month.

Look-alikes — how to tell them apart

Protection and rules

A species in the Red Data Book of Ukraine. Do not approach nests.

Red Data Book of Ukraine

FAQ