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Crested Hawk-Eagle

Nisaetus cirrhatus

Description:

The Crested Hawk-Eagle or Changeable Hawk-eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus) is a bird of prey species of the family Accipitridae. It was formerly placed in the genus Spizaetus, but studies pointed to the group being paraphyletic resulting in the Old World members being placed in Nisaetus (Hodgson, 1836) and separated from the New World species. The Crested Hawk-Eagle is a medium-large raptor at about 60–72 centimetres (24–28 in) in length. It is a relatively slender forest eagle with some subspecies (especially limnaetus) being dimorphic giving the name of "Changeable". This, and also a complicated phylogeny further complicates precise identification. Normally brown above; white below with barring on the undersides of the flight feathers and tail; black longitudinal streaks on throat and chocolate streaks on breast. Some subspecies have a crest of four feathers, but this is all but absent in others. The sexes are quite similar in their plumage, but males are about 15% smaller than females.

Habitat:

Crested Hawk-Eagles breed in southern Asia in India and Sri Lanka, and from the southeast rim of the Himalaya across Southeast Asia to Indonesia and the Philippines. This is a bird occurring singly (outside mating season) in open woodland, although island forms prefer a higher tree density. It builds a stick nest in a tree and lays a single egg

Notes:

I used Cannon 60D with 70-300mm Lense with Shutter Priorty mod in Bundala National Park

1 Species ID Suggestions

Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Crested Hawk-Eagle
Nisaetus (=Spizaetus) cirrhatus


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4 Comments

Kassius Santos
Kassius Santos 12 years ago

You're welcome, friend.

thanks Kassius santos for that correction i will change it right a way

Kassius Santos
Kassius Santos 12 years ago

True Crested Eagle (Morphnus guianensis) in link below:
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/753...

Kassius Santos
Kassius Santos 12 years ago

Prabath, this is not a Crested Eagle, this is a Changeable Hawk Eagle (Nisaetus =Spizaetus cirrhatus), even know by Crested Hawk Eagle. The Crested Eagle (Morphnus guianensis) is only found in Central and South America and this photo was taken in Sri Lanka. Both species are very different from each other.
I suggest you fix the identification of species.

Hambantota, Moneragala, Sri Lanka

Spotted on Mar 3, 2011
Submitted on Apr 11, 2011

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Changeable Hawk Eagle Juvenile Changeable Hawk-eagle Changeable hawk eagle Philippine Hawk Eagle

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Reference

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