Afghanistan (P), Albania (B) (P), Algeria, Andorra (B), Armenia (B), Azerbaijan (B), Bahrain (NB) (P), Bangladesh, Belarus (B), Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina (B), Bulgaria (B) (P), Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote dIvoire, Central African Republic, Chad, China (mainland) (B), Congo [The Democratic Republic of the], Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska) (B) (P), Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia (B), Ethiopia, France (B) (P), Gambia, Georgia (B) (P), Ghana, Gibraltar (NB) (P), Greece (B) (P), Guinea, Guinea-bissau, Hungary (B) (P), India (B), Indonesia (B), Iran [Islamic Republic of] (B), Iraq (B) (P), Israel (B), Italy (B) (P), Jordan (B) (P), Kazakhstan (B), Kenya, Kuwait (NB) (P), Kyrgyzstan (B), Latvia (B), Lebanon (B) (P), Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Lithuania (B), Macedonia [The Former Yugoslav Republic of] (B), Mali, Mauritania, Republic of Moldova (B) (P), Montenegro (B), Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Oman (B) (NB) (P), Pakistan (B), Palestinian Authority Territories, Poland (B), Portugal (B), Qatar (NB) (P), Romania (B) (P), Russia (Central Asian) (B), Russia (European) (B), Saudi Arabia (B) (NB) (P), Senegal, Serbia (B), Singapore, Slovakia (Slovak Republic) (B), Slovenia (B), Somalia, Spain (B) (NB) (P), Sudan, Switzerland (B), Syrian Arab Republic (B) (P), Tajikistan (B), Tanzania [United Republic of], Thailand, Timor-Leste (B) (NB), Togo, Tunisia, Turkey (B), Turkmenistan (B), Uganda, Ukraine (B) (P), United Arab Emirates (B) (NB) (P), Uzbekistan (B), Vietnam, Western Sahara, Yemen (NB) (P), Zambia.
Vagrant to Austria, Belgium, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany (B), Laos, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta (B), Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Sierra Leone, Sweden, United Kingdom.
North-western Africa and south-western Europe north to Gulf of Finland and east to L Balkash and Iran; Indian Subcontinent; Lesser Sundas (from Lombok to Timor). western populations winter in Sahel zone.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 51,000 - 156,000 (2011).
Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus) [XC786671]
by Jorge Leit\u00e3o from Priorat (near Ulldemolins), Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain (call)
Short-toed Snake Eagle (Circaetus) [XC483611]
by Jack Berteau from Biard, Vienne, Poitou-Charentes, France (call)
Subspecies
Short-toed Snake-Eagle (Circaetus gallicus) (including beaudouini) and Black-chested Snake-Eagle (Circaetus pectoralis) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) were previously lumped into Circaetus gallicus following Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993). Following a review by the BirdLife Taxonomic Working Group all three are now considered distinct species based on evidence provided by Clark (1999) and Kemp (1994).
Forms superspecies with Beaudouin's Snake-Eagle (Circaetus beaudouini) and Black-chested Snake-Eagle (Circaetus pectoralis), both of which are frequently considered subspecies of present species, due to occurrence of mixed pairs in zones of overlap. Population of Lesser Sundas may be racially distinct; averages somewhat smaller and may have different timing of moult, but remains little known at present. Name Circaetus ferox formerly applied, but is unidentifiable.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
gallicus (Gmelin, 1788) - South-western Europe to central Asia, north-western China and India; Lesser Sundas.
sacerdotis Ng, N, Christidis, Olsen, Norman & Rheindt, 2017 - Lesser Sundas (Lombok, Sumbawa, Komodo, Flores, Besar, Sumba, Alor, Rote, Wetar, Timor, and Tanimbar); reported also eastern Java and Bali, where perhaps only a nonbreeding visitor.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet