The greater spotted eagle (Clanga clanga), also called the spotted eagle, has distinct oval or elliptic spots in the wing coverts, gradually diminishing in size over and to the ridge of the shoulders. The spots also appear at the extreme margin like small drop-shaped streaks. Juveniles are more boldly patterned with numerous prominent dirty white spots on the back and upper wings. Side-by-side, greater spotted eagles are darker than lesser spotted eagles, and notable for their dark uppertail coverts, lack of nape patch, blackish-brown uniform arms, and uniform, dark upperwing coverts (not contrastingly rusty brownish). Its feathered legs indicate it as a member of the subfamily Aquilinae, also known as the booted eagles. The Greater Spotted Eagle forages around bodies of water and wetlands, where it feeds predominantly on small vertebrate species. It breeds across Eastern and partially Central Europe across through much of central Russia and Central Asia, partially into China, the Indian Subcontinent and the upper Middle East.
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