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Glite Dictionary
lesser spotted eagle

lesser spotted eagle

8.9
A medium-sized bird of prey with brown feathers and pale spots in Europe and Asia
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : águila menor moteada
  • The lesser spotted eagle can often be seen soaring over forests and marshlands.

Examples

  • A nature reserve was established to protect the habitat of the lesser spotted eagle in the region.

  • During migration, the lesser spotted eagle travels thousands of kilometers to reach its wintering grounds.

  • The lesser spotted eagle is known for its distinctive markings.

  • Many birdwatchers hope to see a lesser spotted eagle this summer.

  • The lesser spotted eagle is known for its distinctive brown plumage with lighter spots.

  • During summer, many lesser spotted eagles can be seen soaring over the fields in Europe.

  • Birdwatchers often travel to Eastern Europe to catch a glimpse of the rare lesser spotted eagle.

Surface Forms

lesser spotted eagle singular
lesser spotted eagles plural

Morphology

lesser + spotted + eagle

The phrase is a literal descriptive combination: 'lesser' (smaller/less significant) + 'spotted' (having spots) + 'eagle' (a bird), so a learner who knows the constituent words will understand it refers to a relatively small/spotted species of eagle. This follows transparent modifier+noun composition and common bird-naming patterns across languages, not an idiomatic or metaphorical use.

Etymology

Lesser spotted eagle comes from plain bird names: it is the smaller eagle, called lesser, and it has light spots on its feathers, called spotted. So the name tells you the bird is a 'smaller' eagle with 'spots', which helps people recognise it today.