Aquila pomarina - Lesser Spotted Eagle
Feather characters. Barbules are extremely long (2.2-3.2 mm), entangled and basal internodes contain lightly stippled pigment. Slightly thickened nodes (10-11 per mm) are located on proximal end of barbules. Over a short distance these nodes abruptly decrease in size. Further along the barbule, nodal structures are too small to qualify as nodes. Villi are absent and internodes are straight. Short prongs may occur along the entire length and on both sides of the pennulum, but they are unequally distributed. Their length varies; in some preparations, only minute prongs are found. The longest ones are longer than 0.01 mm, but shorter than half the length of the adjacent internode. Occasionally prongs are asymmetric. Occasionally minute prongs are found on distal end of barbules.
Field characters. Length 60-65 cm; wingspan 134-160 cm. Weight: male 1200 g (1053-1509), female 1540 g (1195-2160) (Dunning, 1993). Strongly resembles Spotted Eagle but slightly smaller and usually paler on crown and upper wing; separation in the field sometimes impossible however. In flight, differs from Spotted Eagle in shorter, narrower, more rounded wings with very short 7th primary tip. Body chocolate-brown to buff below; similarly coloured underwing-coverts contrast with black-brown flight- and tail-feathers; underwing with characteristic double white carpal crescent (only one in Spotted). White primary patch on upperwing more conspicuous and more extensive than in Spotted Eagle. Older individuals have greyish-yellow head and wing-coverts, contrasting with darker mantle and scapulars. Upper tail-coverts sometimes with traces of white. Juvenile with pale upperwing coverts, contrasting with black greater coverts and secondaries; fewer and smaller whitish spots than young Spotted Eagle; usually with pale rusty patch on nape; buff-white V on upper tail-coverts; double carpal crescent on underwing.
Voice. During the breeding season a high-pitched, yelping "kyek-kyek-kyek".
Distribution. Rare summer visitor. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Prefers mature lowland forests near water or wetland but occurs also in mountain woods.
Food. Hunts by quartering ground in slow gliding flight, taking prey on ground. Feeds mainly on small mammals (voles, hamster, mice, rat, moles, ground squirrels), birds (poor fliers, ground nesters, juveniles). Also takes reptiles, amphibians, and large insects.