Mountain Hawk-Eagle

Overview

The mountain hawk-eagle, also known as Hodgson's hawk-eagle or feather-toed eagle, is a large bird of prey native to Asia. It belongs to the genus Nisaetus and is currently classified as a Near Threatened species on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Adults are dark brown above with a rusty head featuring strong black streaks and a prominent black crest with a buffy tip.
• The underside is predominantly barred with rufous over a whitish ground colour, with blackish stripes on the throat and malar area.
• A large raptor (69–84 cm in length) with feathered legs, a short but strong bill, and golden or yellowish-orange eyes in adults.
• The call is a shrill treble note often described as 'klu-weet-weet' or compared to the sound of a penny whistle, heard primarily during the breeding season.

Habitat

A forest-dwelling species distributed across the Himalayas and parts of East and Southeast Asia, including India, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan. It is confirmed as a breeding species in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, although its precise northern and southern range limits remain poorly understood.

Diet

As an opportunistic predator, it varies its prey selection between birds, mammals, and reptiles along with other vertebrates. Specific details on foraging behaviour are not provided in the reference material.

Did you know?

Mountain hawk-eagle calls are said to be expertly mimicked by drongos in some parts of their range.