African hawk-eagle

African hawk-eagle
in Namibia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Aquila
Species:
A. spilogaster
Binomial name
Aquila spilogaster
(Bonaparte, 1850)
Synonyms
  • Hieraaetus spilogaster

The African hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster) is a large bird of prey. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. This species' feathered legs mark it as a member of the Aquilinae subfamily.[2] The African hawk-eagle breeds in tropical Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a bird of assorted woodland, including both savanna and hilly areas but the tend to occur in woodland that is typically dry. The species tends to be rare in areas where their preferred habitat type is absent.[3] This species builds a stick nest of around 1 m (3.3 ft) across in a large tree. The clutch is generally one or two eggs. The African hawk-eagle is powerfully built and hunts small to medium sized mammals and birds predominantly, occasionally taking reptiles and other prey as well.[4] The call is a shrill kluu-kluu-kluu.[5] The African hawk-eagle is considered a fairly stable species and a species of Least Concern per the IUCN.[1]

  1. ^ a b BirdLife International (2016). "Aquila spilogaster". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22696084A93543538. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22696084A93543538.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ Lerner, Heather; Christidis, Les; Gamauf, Anita; Griffiths, Carole; Haring, Elisabeth; Huddleston, Christopher J.; Kabra, Sonia; Kocum, Annett; Krosby, Meade; KvaløY, Kirsti; Mindell, David; Rasmussen, Pamela; RøV, Nils; Wadleigh, Rachel; Wink, Michael (2017-01-09). "Phylogeny and new taxonomy of the Booted Eagles (Accipitriformes: Aquilinae)". Zootaxa. 4216 (4): zootaxa.4216.4.1. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4216.4.1. hdl:11250/2443953. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 28183111.
  3. ^ Ferguson-Lees, J.; Christie, D. (2001). Raptors of the World. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 0-618-12762-3.
  4. ^ Steyn, P. (1983). Birds of prey of southern Africa: Their identification and life histories. Croom Helm, Beckenham (UK). 1983.
  5. ^ Simmons, R.E. "Aquila spilogastra" (PDF). Atlas of Southern African Birds. Retrieved 2 November 2016.