Spizaetus
Encyclopedia
Spizaetus is the typical hawk-eagle birds of prey
genus
found in the tropics
of the Americas
. It was however used to indicate a group of tropical eagle
s that included species occurring in southern and southeastern Asia
and one representative of this genus in the rainforest
s of West Africa
. The Old World species have been separated into the genus Nisaetus
. Several species have a prominent head crest. These are medium to large-sized raptors, most being between 55 and 75 cm (23–30 in) long, and tend to be long-tailed and slender.
The American Ornithologists' Union
merges Spizastur into Spizaetus since 2007.
Spizaetus eagles are forest
birds with several species having a preference for highland woodland
s. They build stick nests
in trees. The sexes are similarly plumaged with typical raptor brown upperparts and pale underparts, but young birds are distinguishable from adults, often by a whiter head.
These eagles eat medium sized vertebrate
prey such as mammal
s, bird
s and reptile
s.
The species that were historically placed in this genus are:
New World species retained in Spizaetus
Old World species now moved to Nisaetus
Moved to Aquila
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
found in the tropics
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
of the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
. It was however used to indicate a group of tropical eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
s that included species occurring in southern and southeastern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and one representative of this genus in the rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
s of West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. The Old World species have been separated into the genus Nisaetus
Nisaetus
Nisaetus is a genus of eagles found mainly in tropical Asia. They were earlier placed within the genus Spizaetus but molecular studies show that the Old World representatives were closer to the genus Ictinaetus than to the New World Spizaetus...
. Several species have a prominent head crest. These are medium to large-sized raptors, most being between 55 and 75 cm (23–30 in) long, and tend to be long-tailed and slender.
The American Ornithologists' Union
American Ornithologists' Union
The American Ornithologists' Union is an ornithological organization in the USA. Unlike the National Audubon Society, its members are primarily professional ornithologists rather than amateur birders...
merges Spizastur into Spizaetus since 2007.
Spizaetus eagles are forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
birds with several species having a preference for highland woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s. They build stick nests
Bird nest
A bird nest is the spot in which a bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young. Although the term popularly refers to a specific structure made by the bird itself—such as the grassy cup nest of the American Robin or Eurasian Blackbird, or the elaborately woven hanging nest of the...
in trees. The sexes are similarly plumaged with typical raptor brown upperparts and pale underparts, but young birds are distinguishable from adults, often by a whiter head.
These eagles eat medium sized vertebrate
Vertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
prey such as mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s, bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s and reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s.
The species that were historically placed in this genus are:
New World species retained in Spizaetus
- Black Hawk-EagleBlack Hawk-EagleThe Black Hawk-Eagle , also known as theTyrant Hawk-Eagle, is a species of eagle found from central Mexico to eastern Peru, the south of Brazil, and far northern Argentina. Its preferred habitats include humid and moist forests close to rivers, and several types of woodland. It is uncommon to...
or Tyrant Hawk-eagle, Spizaetus tyrannus - Black-and-white Hawk-EagleBlack-and-white Hawk-eagleThe Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle is a bird of prey species in the eagle and hawk family...
, Spizaetus melanoleucus - traditionally Spizastur - Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Spizaetus ornatus
- Black-and-chestnut EagleBlack-and-chestnut EagleThe Black-and-chestnut Eagle is a South American species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is sometimes called Isidor's Eagle. It is often placed in the monotypic genus Oroaetus....
, Spizaetus isidori - traditionally Oroaetus
Old World species now moved to Nisaetus
Nisaetus
Nisaetus is a genus of eagles found mainly in tropical Asia. They were earlier placed within the genus Spizaetus but molecular studies show that the Old World representatives were closer to the genus Ictinaetus than to the New World Spizaetus...
- Crested Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus cirrhatus (earlier Spizaetus cirrhatus)
- Flores Hawk-EagleFlores Hawk-eagleThe Flores Hawk-eagle, Nisaetus floris , is a fairly large, up to long, raptor in the family Accipitridae. Adults have dark brown upperparts, a brown tail with six bars, a white patch in the wings that is visible in flight, white underparts, and a white head with fine brownish streaks on the crown...
Nisaetus floris (earlier Spizaetus cirrhatus floris or Spizaetus floris) - Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus nipalensis (earlier Spizaetus nipalensis)
- The Western Ghats and Sri Lankan race has been suggested as a full species Nisaetus kelaarti.
- Blyth's Hawk-EagleBlyth's Hawk-eagleThe Blyth's Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus alboniger is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae....
, Nisaetus alboniger (earlier Spizaetus alboniger) - Javan Hawk-EagleJavan Hawk-eagleThe Javan Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus bartelsi is a medium-sized, approximately 61 cm long, dark brown raptor in the family Accipitridae. Its head and neck are rufous and it is heavily barred black below. It has a long black crest with a white tip. The sexes are similar...
, Nisaetus bartelsi (earlier Spizaetus bartelsi) - Sulawesi Hawk-EagleSulawesi Hawk-eagleThe Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus lanceolatus , also known as Celebes Hawk-eagle, is a medium-sized, approximately 64 cm long, crestless brown raptor in the family Accipitridae. The adults have rufous-brown, boldly marked head and chest feathers, dark brown wings and black-barred white below...
, Nisaetus lanceolatus (earlier Spizaetus lanceolatus) - (Northern) Philippine Hawk-EaglePhilippine Hawk-eagleThe Philippine Hawk-Eagle, known in French as aigle des Philippines and in Spanish as aguila-azor Filipina is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family...
, Nisaetus philippensis (earlier Spizaetus philippensis)- Southern Philippine Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus pinskeri (earlier Spizaetus (philippensis) pinskeri)
- Wallace's Hawk-EagleWallace's Hawk-eagleThe Wallace's Hawk-Eagle, Aigle De Wallace, or Aguila-azor De Wallace is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family....
, Nisaetus nanus (earlier Spizaetus nanus)
Moved to Aquila
- Cassin's Hawk-EagleCassin's Hawk-eagleThe Cassin's Hawk-eagle is a bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is found in western, central and eastern Africa. They prefer dense, humid forests....
, Aquila africana (earlier Spizaetus africanus)