Legge's hawk-eagle is a medium-sized eagle and fairly large-sized raptor. The typical adult has brown upperparts and pale underparts, with barring on the undersides of the flight feathers and tail. The breast and belly are heavily streaked. The wings are broad with a curved trailing edge, and are held in a shallow V in flight. Sexes are similar, but young birds are often whiter-headed.
A Legge's hawk-eagle photographed in Sri Lanka.
Legge's hawk-eagle was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the mountain hawk-eagle, but it is smaller and has unstreaked buff underwing coverts. A 2008 study based on the geographic isolation and differences in call suggested that this be treated as a full species, Nisaetus kelaarti.[2] When all standard measurements are considered, Legge's hawk-eagles average about 5-10% smaller than mountain hawk eagles, although Legge's tail length is slightly greater on average. Furthermore, one male from Sri Lanka weighed 1.93 kg (4.3 lb), slightly less than most male mountain hawk-eagles.[2] In average total length, males Legge's hawk-eagles average about 70 cm (28 in) and females average about 76 cm (30 in).[3]
It is a bird of mountain woodland that builds a stick nest in a tree and lays usually a single egg in a clutch. Legge's hawk-eagles eat small mammals, birds and reptiles. Despite its relatively modest size, Legge's hawk-eagle is a powerful predator with large talons, like many booted eagles, and is sometimes known to occasionally pursue prey as heavy or heavier than itself. This may include Indian peafowl, estimated to weigh 2.8 to 4 kg (6.2 to 8.8 lb).[4]
Nisaetus kelaarti
Notesedit
^Grimmett, Richard; Inskipp, Carol, Inskipp, Tim & Byers, Clive (1999): Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J. ISBN0-691-04910-6
^ abGjershaug, J. O.; Diserud, O. H.; Rasmussen, P. C. & Warakagoda, D. (2008) "An overlooked threatened species of eagle: Legge’s Hawk Eagle Nisaetus kelaarti (Aves: Accipitriformes)" (PDF) Zootaxa1792: 54–66
^Harrison, J. (2011). A field guide to the birds of Sri Lanka. Oxford University Press.
^Fam, S. D., & Nijman, V. (2011). Spizaetus hawk-eagles as predators of arboreal colobines. Primates, 52(2), 105-110.
Referencesedit
Ferguson-Lees, James; David A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Illustrated by Kim Franklin, David Mead, and Philip Burton. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN9780618127627. OCLC 46660604. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nisaetus kelaarti.
Wikispecies has information related to Nisaetus kelaarti.
December 15, 2023
legge, hawk, eagle, nisaetus, kelaarti, bird, prey, like, eagles, family, accipitridae, breeds, indian, subcontinent, from, southern, india, lanka, specific, name, kelaarti, honors, physician, zoologist, kelaart, nisaetus, kelaarti, thattekad, bird, sanctuarys. Legge s hawk eagle Nisaetus kelaarti is a bird of prey Like all eagles it is in the family Accipitridae It breeds in the Indian subcontinent from southern India to Sri Lanka 1 Its specific name kelaarti honors the physician zoologist E F Kelaart Legge s hawk eagleNisaetus kelaarti Thattekad Bird SanctuaryScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder AccipitriformesFamily AccipitridaeGenus NisaetusSpecies N kelaartiBinomial nameNisaetus kelaarti Legge 1878 SynonymsSpizaetus kelaarti Nisaetus nipalensis kelaartiLegge s hawk eagle is a medium sized eagle and fairly large sized raptor The typical adult has brown upperparts and pale underparts with barring on the undersides of the flight feathers and tail The breast and belly are heavily streaked The wings are broad with a curved trailing edge and are held in a shallow V in flight Sexes are similar but young birds are often whiter headed A Legge s hawk eagle photographed in Sri Lanka Legge s hawk eagle was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the mountain hawk eagle but it is smaller and has unstreaked buff underwing coverts A 2008 study based on the geographic isolation and differences in call suggested that this be treated as a full species Nisaetus kelaarti 2 When all standard measurements are considered Legge s hawk eagles average about 5 10 smaller than mountain hawk eagles although Legge s tail length is slightly greater on average Furthermore one male from Sri Lanka weighed 1 93 kg 4 3 lb slightly less than most male mountain hawk eagles 2 In average total length males Legge s hawk eagles average about 70 cm 28 in and females average about 76 cm 30 in 3 It is a bird of mountain woodland that builds a stick nest in a tree and lays usually a single egg in a clutch Legge s hawk eagles eat small mammals birds and reptiles Despite its relatively modest size Legge s hawk eagle is a powerful predator with large talons like many booted eagles and is sometimes known to occasionally pursue prey as heavy or heavier than itself This may include Indian peafowl estimated to weigh 2 8 to 4 kg 6 2 to 8 8 lb 4 Nisaetus kelaartiNotes edit Grimmett Richard Inskipp Carol Inskipp Tim amp Byers Clive 1999 Birds of India Pakistan Nepal Bangladesh Bhutan Sri Lanka and the Maldives Princeton University Press Princeton N J ISBN 0 691 04910 6 a b Gjershaug J O Diserud O H Rasmussen P C amp Warakagoda D 2008 An overlooked threatened species of eagle Legge s Hawk Eagle Nisaetus kelaarti Aves Accipitriformes PDF Zootaxa 1792 54 66 Harrison J 2011 A field guide to the birds of Sri Lanka Oxford University Press Fam S D amp Nijman V 2011 Spizaetus hawk eagles as predators of arboreal colobines Primates 52 2 105 110 References editFerguson Lees James David A Christie 2001 Raptors of the World Illustrated by Kim Franklin David Mead and Philip Burton Boston Houghton Mifflin ISBN 9780618127627 OCLC 46660604 Retrieved May 9 2013 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nisaetus kelaarti nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Nisaetus kelaarti Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Legge 27s hawk eagle amp oldid 1181938128, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
