From Opus

Photo by James Williams
Photo taken: BR Hills, Karnataka, Southern India

Alternative names:

Asian Black Eagle; Indian Black Eagle.

Ictinaetus malayensis

Identification

70-80cm. Black to dark brown, paler on secondaries and scapulars, sometimes white patch on the upper tail coverts, brown eyes, yellow cere and feet. Sexes similar.

Immatures - dark sepia brown above, buff tipped feathers on crown and nape, upper tail coverts banded with sepia and buff making a pale bar across the base of the tail, golden brown sides of the head, rufous under side as far as the tail coverts, black streaks on breast, some black bars on the tail coverts, buff under-wing.

Distribution

Southern Asia: breeds in India and Sri Lanka and from the western Himalayas east to southern China and Hainan and south to the Malay Peninsula. Also occurs on Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi and Maluku (Moluccas). Has been recorded in Taiwan and a rare straggler to Pakistan. Resident.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Two races recognised: perniger in India and Sri Lanka and nominate malayensis in remainder of range.

Habitat

Tropical forest and lower altitude evergreen hill forests in the Himalayas. Hunts in slow circular flight over open country and the forest canopy.

Behaviour

Diet

The diet includes birds' eggs and young birds, mammals up to the size of a large rat, bats, and swiftlets.

Breeding

It builds a large nest high up in a big tree, made of small sticks, and lined with green leaves. Pairs often have two nests about a mile apart. 1 egg is laid.

External Links

• Arthur Grosset's Birds