Lesser Spotted Eagle Approaching

Attention, eagle approaching! At least one thing can be counted on: every year in March, lesser spotted eagles cross the African continent from south to north to reach their breeding grounds in Europe at the beginning of April. Most of them fly even further, particularly to the Baltic states, where the majority of lesser spotted eagles breed. These site-faithful raptors will follow the same migration route over the coming weeks: from southern Africa northward along the East African Rift, across the Suez Canal into Asia, further along the Israeli coastline, and finally across the Bosphorus in Turkey into Europe. Anyone wishing to follow the 10,000 km journey of Germany’s smallest eagle in real time can do so on the website www.schreiadler.org .

A small eagle with a large breeding range

The lesser spotted eagle’s breeding range is quite small. In Switzerland, the lesser spotted eagle occurs less frequently than the greater spotted eagle. The reason lies in its migration route. As the smallest European eagle species, the lesser spotted eagle is only slightly larger than the common buzzard. Distinguishing it from the greater spotted eagle is difficult even for experienced ornithologists. Lesser spotted eagles are very vocal at the nest, which is how they earned their German name.

Nuptials and home renovations

Barely arrived in its established breeding territory, the lesser spotted eagle’s to-do list already includes courtship and nest renovation — the lesser spotted eagle. This is a demanding undertaking. “The lesser spotted eagle builds its eyrie only in very dense forests. If its surroundings have changed significantly since its departure in September, it doesn't hesitate for long and simply disappears,” explains Dr. Andreas Kinser of the Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung. Intensive agriculture, forestry, and wind turbines near nesting sites unfortunately continue to destroy previously suitable breeding areas. “Every year, some lesser spotted eagle pairs in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Brandenburg are forced to abandon their traditional breeding grounds because the habitat there has deteriorated significantly,” says Kinser.

Cautious Optimism

But there is also good news: over the past two years, around 20 new settlements have been recorded in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In some cases, previously abandoned breeding areas were recolonised, while in others entirely new habitats were opened up. However, this is no cause for complacency: “We view the new settlements with caution and must wait to see whether stable breeding pairs develop from them in the future,” says Dr. Wolfgang Scheller, who coordinates the lesser spotted eagle counts in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. “The risk that newly colonised habitats will be abandoned again after a short time is considerable,” Scheller adds. In most breeding areas, ornithologists are observing a further deterioration of living conditions rather than any improvement. Bringing about a genuine change in trend for the lesser spotted eagle therefore requires more than isolated conservation projects. “Truly substantial changes for biodiversity in our landscapes will only be achieved when farmers and foresters can earn an income from nature and species conservation,” says Andreas Kinser. The upcoming negotiations on reforming the European Union's agricultural policy offer the best opportunity to achieve this.

Flight data for the lesser spotted eagle's migration: Departure area: Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa. Destination area: Germany, Poland, the Baltic states, Belarus. Length of migration route: approx. 10’000 km. Migration altitude: max. 2’000 m. Migration speed: 40–60 km/h. Max. daily distance: 500 km. More on Wildlife and Biodiversity.