Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Indian Spotted Eagle (Clanga hastata)
Indian Spotted Eagle

Indian Spotted Eagle

Clanga hastata

The Indian spotted eagle, Clanga hastata, is a majestic bird of prey that graces the skies of South Asia. With a robust body measuring about 60 cm in length and a wingspan reaching 150 cm, it is a sight to behold. The broad head and the widest gape among its kin are distinctive features. This eagle sports a lighter plumage compared to its relatives, and its darker iris stands out against the feathers, a reverse of the pattern seen in northern spotted eagles.

Identification Tips

Adult Indian spotted eagles can be distinguished from the greater spotted eagle by their lighter coloration, darker eyes, and preferred habitats. Juveniles, after three to four months, exhibit a glossy brown plumage with creamy tips on the head and neck feathers, creating a spotted effect. The upper tail coverts are light brown with white, giving a barred look, and the median coverts are adorned with large creamy spots. As they mature, the birds molt into a darker shade with fewer spots. Interestingly, some older juveniles may not exhibit strong spotting, and they lack the creamy buff nape patch characteristic of the juvenile lesser spotted eagle.

Habitat

The Indian spotted eagle thrives in the agricultural landscapes and tropical dry forests of its native range.

Distribution

This eagle calls Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, and Nepal its home, soaring above these lands with a regal presence.

Behaviour

The Indian spotted eagle has a unique evolutionary history, having diverged from its common ancestor with the lesser and greater spotted eagles around 3.6 million years ago. This divergence likely occurred in the region of present-day Afghanistan, as advancing glaciers and deserts in Central Asia during the onset of the last ice age separated northern and southern lineages.

Conservation status

The Indian spotted eagle is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Conservation efforts are essential to ensure the survival of this remarkable bird.

Systematics, taxonomy and evolution

Once grouped with the genus Aquila, the Indian spotted eagle has been reclassified into its own genus, Clanga, reflecting its distinct characteristics and evolutionary lineage. This reclassification is supported by morphological, behavioral, ecological, and DNA sequence data, underscoring the unique identity of this species within the Accipitridae family.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Indian Spotted Eagles on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Hip An
Fantastic
Really enjoying Birda where I live i have a lot of Red kites really hard to photograph but I can video are you planning some place on the app where us Birda can post vids🦉🦅
SW H
Wonderful App
Birda is my go to app for keeping records of my bird sightings and sessions. It has fantastic information which is great at aiding identification. With all the updates that are coming in the new year, this app is something special.
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
Pdydhdrexgi
Fantastic App
This is a really lovely app, for everyone interested in birds - from newbies to old hands. There is a very friendly feel to the community and you will genuinely learn a lot as you record your sightings and photos. There are lots of badges and competitions to keep you engaged, and a host of really useful features.
Birdafan
Ideal Birdwatch Companion
Simply adds to the enjoyment of my birdwatching and helps me record what I’ve seen.
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
Safira V
Birding and wellbeing app
Birda is an excellent platform to share your love of Birding and is a great tool of encouragement for a Birding Beginner like me. Birda has a very kind and supportive community of Birding enthusiasts. For me BIRDA is not only a BIRDING but also a WELLBEING App.
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Robred 2
Fun way to add to your birdwatching experience
I enjoy watching birds in my backyard, but this app helped me really pay attention while on vacation this summer. It was fun to add new birds to my bird watching app.
Amylia S
Best app for any birding person!
I love this app!! I am so addicted to it when I saw it had 3 star review I was so sad! The app is awesome!! The best app for any birding person! ❤️
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.