Crested serpent-eagle
| Crested Serpent-eagle | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom Information | |
| Domain | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Subkingdom | Bilateria |
| Branch | Deuterostomia |
| Phylum Information | |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Sub-phylum | Vertebrata |
| Infraphylum | Gnathostomata |
| Class Information | |
| Superclass | Tetrapoda |
| Class | Aves |
| Sub-class | Neornithes |
| Infra-class | Neoaves |
| Order Information | |
| Order | Accipitriformes |
| Sub-order | Accipitres |
| Family Information | |
| Superfamily | Accipitroidea |
| Family | Accipitridae |
| Sub-family | Circaetinae |
| Genus Information | |
| Genus | Spilornis |
| Species Information | |
| Species | S. cheela |
| Population statistics | |
| Conservation status | Least concern[1] |
The crested serpent-eagle (Spilornis cheela) is a species of bird of prey of the family Accipitridae, and found within tropical forests across much of southeastern Asia.
Description
The crested serpent-eagle is medium-sized, with a body length of 16.8 to 29.2 inches, a wingspan of 37 to 66 inches, and weighs between 14.0 to 63.4 ounces. Females are about 4-6% larger and probably much heavier than males. The nominate form (S. c. cheela) is the largest of the subspecies.
Overall, the bird is dark brown to greyish brown in color, depending on the subspecies, with darker wings spotted in white at the bend. The top of the head is black, extending in a white-spotted crest in the back. Chest and belly are lighter in color, and lightly-spotted in white. In flight the wings - which are held in a shallow "V" when gliding - bear one or two white bands on the primaries and secondaries; this banding is repeated in the tail. Juvenile birds are dark brown above with extensive whitish-tipped feathers, and very light in color on the chest and belly.
Its calls are loud in flight before and during the breeding season. The typical call[2], a penetrating "pi-pi-wie-wie-wieeh", is one of the most commonly heard calls by any bird of prey in southeastern Asia.
Subspecies
- Spilornis cheela batu; Indonesia: southern Sumatra, Batu Islands
- Spilornis cheela bido; Indonesia: Java and Bali
- Spilornis cheela burmanicus; Myanmar to southwestern China, Thailand and Indochina
- Spilornis cheela cheela; northern India and Nepal
- Spilornis cheela davisoni; India: Andaman Islands
- Spilornis cheela hoya; Taiwan
- Spilornis cheela malayensis; Malay Peninsula, northern Sumatra and Anambas Islands
- Spilornis cheela melanotis; Indo-Gangetic plain
- Spilornis cheela palawanensis; Philippines: Palawan
- Spilornis cheela pallidus; Lowlands of northern Borneo
- Spilornis cheela richmondi; Indonesia: southern Borneo
- Spilornis cheela ricketti; southern China and northern Vietnam
- Spilornis cheela rutherfordi; China: Hainan
- Spilornis cheela spilogaster; Sri Lanka
The following species were once listed as subspecies; debate and research is still ongoing:
- Andaman serpent-eagle, Spilornis elgini
- Great Nicobar serpent-eagle, Spilornis klossi
- Philippine serpent-eagle, Spilornis holospila