The mountain hawk-eagle (Nisaetus nipalensis) belongs to the family Accipitridae. These mountain hawk-eagle species are distributed in Indian subcontinent, Indochina, Southeast Asia, China, Japan and Indonesia.
Taxonomy of Mountain hawk-eagle
- Scientific Name: Nisaetus nipalensis
- Common Name: Mountain hawk-eagle
- French: Aigle montagnard; German: Berghaubenadler; Spanish: Águila montañesa;
- Other names: Hodgson's hawk-eagle; Spizaetus nipalensis;
- Family: Accipitridae › Accipitriformes › Aves › Chordata › Animalia
- Species author: Hodgson, 1836
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| Indian birds - Image of Mountain hawk-eagle - Nisaetus nipalensis |
Description
The mountain hawk-eagle is a large bird of prey, measuring 65 to 85 cm in length and weighing 1,800 to 3,500 grams. The wingspan is 130 to 160 cm. They typically have brown upper parts and paler under parts. The under sides and tail are barred. The breast and belly and underwing coverts are streaked.Habitat
The mountain hawk-eagle inhabit mountain woodlands. They have been observed in mountains at altitude of 4,000 meters.Feeding habits
These species feed on birds, reptiles and small mammals. Hares, pheasants and quails are the preferred preys.Breeding
The mountain hawk-eagle breeding season varies with their range. In Himalayas, these eagles breed during February and June. They build stick nests on trees. The nest contains a single egg.Distribution
The subspecies N. n. orientalis is distributed in Japan. The subspecies N. n. nipalensis is distributed in Pakistan, Himalayas of India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Indochina region and Malay Peninsula. The subspecies N. n. kelaarti is distributed in South India and Sri Lanka.Movement Patterns
These species of birds are mostly sedentary. In winter, they may move to lower altitudes.Status and conservation
The mountain hawk-eagle species have an extremely large range and are considered least vulnerable. There is steady decline in population due to loss of forest cover. Habitat destruction and declining availability of prey species 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 of "Least Concern".
| Biological classification of Nisaetus nipalensis | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Accipitriformes |
| Family: | Accipitridae |
| Subfamily: | - |
| Genus: | Nisaetus |
| Species: | N. nipalensis |
| Binomial name: | Nisaetus nipalensis |
| Distribution: | Indian subcontinent, Indochina region, China, Japan, Indonesia and Northern Southeast Asia; |
| Feeding habits: | birds, reptiles and small mammals; |
| IUCN status listing: |  Least Concern |
Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nisaetus_nipalensis.jpg
Image author: Javahn19 | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
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