The Indian spotted eagle (Clanga hastata) belongs to the family Accipitridae. These Indian spotted eagle species are distributed in India, Pakistan, Myanmar and Cambodia.
Taxonomy of Indian spotted eagle
- Scientific Name: Clanga hastata
- Common Name: Indian spotted eagle
- French: Aigle lancéolé; German: Gangesadler; Spanish: Águila india;
- Other names: Morphnus hastatus Lesson, 1831; Aquila hastata;
- Family: Accipitridae › Accipitriformes › Aves › Chordata › Animalia
- Species author: (Lesson, 1834)
Image of spotted eagle - Clanga hastata |
Description
These spotted eagle species are medium sized birds of prey, measuring 50 to 60 cm in length. The wingspan is 150 cm. These bird species have a broad head and wide mouth. The plumage is pale brown and has pale spots. The iris of these birds is darker than the plumage. The wings are broad and short and the tail is short. Their call is a high-pitched, cackling laughing sound.Habitat
These eagle species inhabit subtropical and tropical dry forests, fringe of forests, plantations and agricultural fields dotted with trees.Feeding habits
These eagle species preys on small birds, mammals, reptiles and frogs.Breeding
The spotted eagle breeding season is from March to August. These birds nest on trees. The nest is built with sticks and lined with leaves.Distribution
These species of birds are distributed in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Cambodia.Movement Patterns
These eagle species are sedentary and the juveniles spread within the range.Status and conservation
These spotted eagle species have a small and declining population of less than 10,000 birds and are considered vulnerable. Habit loss is the major threat 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 "Vulnerable".
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Indian_spotted_eagle.jpg Image author: Ravi Vaidyanathan | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
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