Eye to Eye with the Eagle

In gliding flight, an eagle draws its circles in the gray-blue sky. Water glistens below him. A few more loops, then it swoops down from a height of 60 meters, dips its talons into the water and soars back into the sky with a wriggling fish. This natural spectacle can best be marveled at during the summer months.

After the young have fledged, they learn to hunt for themselves. The chance to observe an eagle then from one of the numerous viewing platforms with binoculars is great.

Eagle Species

Three eagle species live in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which differ greatly in their way of life. While white-tailed eagles live here all year round, ospreys and lesser spotted eagles do not return from Africa until April.

• White-tailed eagle: With a wingspan of up to 2.40 meters, the white-tailed eagle is the largest native eagle. It builds its nest in the forest on outstandingly large trees. Its wings, held board-like in soaring flight, and its uniform gray-brown plumage are characteristic. White-tailed eagle pairs remain faithful to their partner throughout their lives.
  The white-tailed eagle is bound to large bodies of water and coasts. It can be observed in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, especially in the area of the Müritz. The Boek fish ponds provide it with plenty of food - here the skilful white-tailed eagle can be easily observed catching its prey.
  Thanks to intensive conservation efforts, 300 pairs of white-tailed eagles are breeding again today in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, more than in any other federal state.
• Osprey: With a wingspan of up to 1.70 meters, the osprey is significantly smaller than the white-tailed eagle. It can be easily recognized by its contrasting plumage and pale underside. It prefers to breed on high, free-standing trees in the landscape and in many places on high-voltage pylons. Like hardly any other bird of prey, the osprey is a pure fish hunter, swooping into the water from great heights and even capturing fish from a meter of water.
  An osprey nest is located in Federow, seven kilometers east of Waren (Müritz). Via a webcam, visitors to the Federow National Park Information can participate in the family life of the eagles. An observation stand allows good observations where the animals are not disturbed.
• Lesser Spotted Eagle: Lesser Spotted Eagles are only slightly larger than a buzzard but very shy. With their chocolate brown plumage, they are well camouflaged and breed hidden in structurally rich deciduous and mixed forests. They need wet meadows and fallows near their breeding area to find food. Lesser spotted eagles prefer to hunt "on foot" for ground-dwelling small animals and insects. Lesser spotted eagles are the most vocal of the eagles. The parents emit the sonorous call "Tjück, tjück, tjück", especially until the hatching of the young.
  The highly endangered lesser spotted eagle is almost never seen in the forest. It reacts very sensitively to disturbances. If it feels harassed in its breeding territory, it leaves its nest and never returns to the area. Therefore, there are eyrie protection zones that must be respected.

All three eagle species are breeding birds. However, the observation at the nests is difficult or even forbidden, so that the birds are not disturbed. At the following places you can observe the eagles without disturbing them.

The elegant birds of prey live mostly in the Mecklenburg Lake District and on the edge of the Pomeranian Bodden waters. White-tailed eagles and ospreys can be frequently observed on and near the water, e.g. in the Müritz National Park, in the Feldberg lake landscapes, in the Nossetiner Schwinzer Heide Nature Park, in the Flusslandschaft Peeneteal Nature Park or on the coasts. Guided eagle safaris with rangers in the national parks or guided boat tours offer unique nature experiences.