Little screaming eagle | Facts & Information

Origin

The Carpathian ecoregion holds a significant percentage of the world population of the species.

Nesting areas are generally restricted in Europe (Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe), but the species also nests in Anatolia, the Caucasus and eastern Iran.

In Europe it occurs as a nesting species in Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Albania, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Republic Of Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia.

The species has suffered a major decline in many countries, especially those in western and southern Europe. Now the species is very rare or extinct in many countries, such as Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Serbia and much of Greece.

The size of the global population is unknown but has been estimated at around 20,000 pairs (Meyburg 1996). Around 13,000 – 16,000 pairs are estimated In Europe(2004). The count made in the neck of the funnel areas shows that these figures underestimate the current population.

The Lesser Spotted Eagle is considered to be a declining species throughout its range. The population at the edge of the spreading area is considered to be the most vulnerable.

The Carpathians offer the species one of the most important nesting areas. As a result of the most recent studies, the population of the lesser spotted eagle in Romania is estimated between 2000 – 2500 pairs, representing approximately 22% of the species population in the European Union and 10% of the entire population globally.

Most nesting pairs of the Lesser Spotted Eagle are found in Transylvania (region 7 Center), in western Romania and on the eastern slopes of the Carpathians. A small population also exists in eastern, southeastern and southern Romania.

Feeding small Screaming Eagle

Food consists of small mammals (Apodemus, Microtus, Cricetus, Citellus), amphibians (Rana), birds (Alauda, Emberiza, Coturnix), reptiles (Lacerta, Natrix) and insects (locusts).

In the Carpathian Eco-region his favorite food consists of field mice (Microtus arvalis).

In wintering habitats, food apparently consists mainly of weaver birds (Quelea quelea), termites, small mammals and frogs.

Features small Screaming Eagle

Adult dark brown, with small and medium-sized supercharges of an obviously lighter shade, even brown-yellow-sura, light brown head; a light spot above the base of the inner primary remiges (light wing) and a light color on the supracodals.

The juvenile is slightly darker, especially on the head, but shows a similar contrast between the forewing and the rest of the wing. Less spotted than the previous species., it has a very narrow stripe along the tips of the forewings.

A small open spot on the back of the neck (visible only up close). Silhouette and flight similar to that of the large Screaming Eagle.

Subalars of a chocolate color, normally lighter and never darker than remiges (cf. large Screaming Eagle). Calf plumage less abundant. Cries not as loud as those of the large Screaming Eagle.

Reproduction of the lesser Screaming Eagle

Nesting takes place from April to early September, with significant annual variations. She typically lays two eggs, often one and rarely three, in early May.

Incubation is 38-45 days, and often the phenomenon of cainism occurs, the larger Chick killing its brother in the first 14 days after hatching.

The chicken begins to cover itself with feathers when it is 50-57 days old, and sexual maturity is reached at the age of 3-4 years. The multiplication rate is very low and varies from year to year.

There is a relatively high level of reproductive failure specific to the species, shows the studies conducted in central Transylvania (Romania) registering a multiplication rate of 0.6 chicks / breeding attempts and 0.25 chicks per pair.