Which eagles can you photograph in Estonia?
In winter, golden eagles and white-tailed eagles spend the season in Estonia, and both species visit our feeding area on a near-daily basis. A territorial pair of golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) nests close to the hide, while several white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) — both adults and juveniles — regularly come to the site.
On an average day photographers can expect to see two golden eagles and between one and five white-tailed eagles. However, we strongly recommend staying in the hide for several days. Sometimes golden eagles drive white-tailed eagles away, and occasionally there are days when the golden eagles do not arrive — most likely because they have caught natural prey elsewhere.
You can also see on this page which photographers visited Estonia during the 2026 season and what images they captured.
Eagle photography season in Estonia
The Alutaguse eagle photography hides are open in winter: January, February and the first days of March. During this period the landscape is covered in snow, which many wildlife photographers especially value for dramatic eagle photographs.
What other wildlife can be photographed?
We have installed perches and feeding spots for smaller birds around the hide. As a result, daily visitors include Eurasian jays, ravens and great tits. Frequently photographed species also include grey-headed woodpecker, nuthatch (the white-bellied northern form), crested tit, willow tit, coal tit, greenfinch, bullfinch and great spotted woodpecker.
Occasionally the area is visited by Northern goshawk, Ural owl and black woodpecker.
Among mammals, you may sometimes see raccoon dogs, and more rarely pine marten, European polecat, weasel, roe deer and red fox.
How to reach the eagle hide?
Our eagle photography hides are located 133 km from Tallinn Airport, which takes approximately 1.5–2 hours by car, depending on road conditions. Several car rental companies operate at the airport.
If you prefer public transport, you can travel by train or bus to the nearby small town of Rakvere. Tallinn is a compact city, and both the airport and city-centre hotels have easy connections to the bus and railway stations. Several departures run daily and the journey takes 1–1.5 hours. From Rakvere to our site is 30 km; in winter the easiest option is a taxi (approximately €35–45) or our transfer service. A taxi directly from Tallinn costs around €130–150.
If you need help with logistics, feel free to contact us.
About the hides
You can photograph eagles from two hides: a smaller private Premium Hide and a larger Comfort Hide. Both hides are heated and equipped with electricity, hot running water and a toilet. Photography is done through dedicated photography openings.
Overnight stays inside the hides are included at no extra cost. Beds, sleeping bags and pillows are provided. There is also a kettle and cups, and batteries can be charged from wall sockets.
One feature visitors especially appreciate is the sound system: a sensitive outdoor microphone and indoor speakers allow you to hear everything happening outside. You can listen to eagles calling from nearby trees, owls hooting in the evening and sometimes even wolves howling in the distance.
From the same hides we also watch and photograph brown bears in summer.
What else to do in the area?
The nearest village is Tudu, where a small grocery store provides basic supplies. The shop closes at 8 pm, so you can still visit after sunset before entering the hide. There are also several pleasant hiking trails nearby.
About 30 km away is the town of Rakvere, with hotels, restaurants, a spa with excellent saunas and several large supermarkets. Another 15 km further lies the famous Lahemaa National Park, offering many nature trails and cultural sights.
If you have any questions about visiting our eagle photography hides in Estonia, you are very welcome to contact us.