The Andaman serpent eagle (Spilornis elgini) belongs to the family Accipitridae. These Andaman serpent eagle species are distributed in South Andaman Island in India.
Taxonomy of Andaman serpent eagle
- Scientific Name: Spilornis elgini
- Common Name: Andaman serpent eagle
- French: Serpentaire des Andaman German: Andamanenschlangenweihe Spanish: Culebrera de Andamán;
- Other names: Haematornis elgini Blyth, 1863;
- Family: Accipitridae › Accipitriformes › Aves › Chordata › Animalia
- Species author: (Blyth, 1863)
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| Indian birds - Image of Andaman serpent eagle - Spilornis elgini |
Description
The Andaman serpent eagle is a medium sized bird, measuring 50 to 60 cm in length and weighing 800 to 1,000 grams. The wingspan is 110 to 140 cm. It has a small crest. The face is bright yellow. The dark brown body has numerous white speckles on the breast, belly, and scapulars. The undertail has thick black and white bands. The legs are bare and yellow. Its call is a sharp whistling sound.Habitat
These eagle species inhabit subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and mangrove forests.Feeding habits
These eagle species feed mainly on snakes and lizards. They may also prey on small mammals, birds, fish, frogs and crabs.Breeding
Not much is known about the breeding habits.Distribution
These serpent eagle species are endemic to Indian South Andaman Island.Movement Patterns
These serpent eagle species are sedentary and move within their range.Status and conservation
The population of these eagle species is estimated to number 1,500 to 7,500 individual birds. Due to habitat degradation, increasing agricultural activities and hunting there is steady decline in the population. Human activities in the interior forests and habitat loss are the main threats to the survival of these species.The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has categorized and evaluated these eagle species and has listed them as "Near Threatened".
| Biological classification of Spilornis elgini | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Accipitriformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Subfamily: | - |
| Genus: | Spilornis |
| Species: | S. elgini |
| Binomial name: | Spilornis elgini |
| Distribution: | South Andaman Island in India; |
| Feeding habits: | reptiles like snakes and lizards; also on small mammals, crabs, fish, frogs and birds; |
| IUCN status listing: |  Near Threatened |
Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andaman_Serpent-Eagle_perched.JPG
Image Author: T R Shankar Raman | Image License: CC BY-SA 4.0
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