rufous bellied hawk eagle

Appearance

Adult rufous-bellied hawk-eagles are distinctive in their pattern. They have a black hood with a short crest. Chestnut underparts and wing coverts contrast with the white on the throat and breast. The sexes are almost indistinguishable in plumage but females are slightly larger and have more black on the face. They perch in a very upright stance and the wingtip almost reaches the tail. The tarsus is fully feathered. Juveniles have very white underparts with dark markings on the sides of the body, head mask and edge of underwing coverts. They can appear similar to a booted eagle . In flight, the underwing lining is dark and the greater coverts are black. The flight feathers are thinly barred with a black edge. The tail is dark and barred.

Distribution

This species is associated mainly with hill forests. In India, they are commoner in the Western Ghats than along the Himalayas where they occur from Nepal to Assam. They also occur in parts of the Eastern Ghats. Their distribution range includes Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Hainan, Indonesia, Sumatra, Borneo, the Philippines, Sulawesi and Sumbawa.

Behavior

MeasurementsHimalayas

Length

490–505 mm




535–560 mm


Tail

210–230 mm




236–250 mm


Tarsus

150–160 mm




165–175 mm

Sri Lanka

Length

450–475 mm




120–200 mm


Tail

180–200 mm




100–200 mm


Tarsus

150–200 mm



Rufous-bellied hawk-eagles are usually seen in flight, soaring high over the forest canopy. They dive to capture prey that can include birds and mammals in the air, canopy, or forest floor. Birds the size of the Sri Lanka wood pigeon, Kalij pheasant and junglefowl have been recorded as prey. The breeding season of the eagles is in winter with the young fledging in spring when the prey species are also breeding. The display flight involves stooping and wing-quivering. Their calls include a series of high pitched ''fwick, fwick...'' notes followed by a thin ''sweek!''. They nest on a large, often bare tree, building a large platform of dry sticks and branches that they break off. The nest is lined with green leaves and a single egg is laid. Both parents take turns in incubation, feeding and nest defence.

Habitat

This species is associated mainly with hill forests. In India, they are commoner in the Western Ghats than along the Himalayas where they occur from Nepal to Assam. They also occur in parts of the Eastern Ghats. Their distribution range includes Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Hainan, Indonesia, Sumatra, Borneo, the Philippines, Sulawesi and Sumbawa.MeasurementsHimalayas

Length

490–505 mm




535–560 mm


Tail

210–230 mm




236–250 mm


Tarsus

150–160 mm




165–175 mm

Sri Lanka

Length

450–475 mm




120–200 mm


Tail

180–200 mm




100–200 mm


Tarsus

150–200 mm



Rufous-bellied hawk-eagles are usually seen in flight, soaring high over the forest canopy. They dive to capture prey that can include birds and mammals in the air, canopy, or forest floor. Birds the size of the Sri Lanka wood pigeon, Kalij pheasant and junglefowl have been recorded as prey. The breeding season of the eagles is in winter with the young fledging in spring when the prey species are also breeding. The display flight involves stooping and wing-quivering. Their calls include a series of high pitched ''fwick, fwick...'' notes followed by a thin ''sweek!''. They nest on a large, often bare tree, building a large platform of dry sticks and branches that they break off. The nest is lined with green leaves and a single egg is laid. Both parents take turns in incubation, feeding and nest defence.