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The crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela) is a medium-sized bird of prey that is found in forested habitats across tropical Asia.
Description[]
This medium-large, dark brown eagle is stocky, with rounded wings and a short tail. Its short black and white fan-shaped nuchal crest gives it a thick-necked appearance. The bare facial skin and feet are yellow. The underside is spotted with white and yellowish-brown. When perched the wing tips do not reach until the tail tip. In soaring flight, the broad and paddle-shaped wings are held in a shallow V. The tail and underside of the flight feathers are black with broad white bars. Young birds show a lot of white on the head. The tarsus is unfeathered and covered by hexagonal scales. The upper mandible does not have an overhanging festoon to the tip.
Distribution[]
Crested serpent eagles (Spilornis cheela) are found throughout much of the Oriental region. In India, Crested serpent eagles can be found from the lower Himalayas to Sri Lanka and the Andamans. Further east they can be found in Southeast Tibet and Southeast China south of the Changiang valley. Outside of mainland Asia, they can be found on the Greater Sunda islands, Bali and the Philippines.
Morphology[]
Crested serpent eagles are medium-sized raptors. They range in length from 55 to 76 cm, and their wingspan ranges from 109 to 169 cm. They can weigh anywhere from 420 to 1800 g. When perched, an adult appears overall dark brown with an almost black 'hood' on the head and neck. The breast and belly are brown with white mottling. The crest is black with some white flecks is very prominent when raised. In flight, their underside is brown with a distinctive single, broad, pale band across the tail and wings. They hold their wings forward in a shallow V shape. The legs, eyes, and skin around the eyes and beak (lores) are yellow and bare. Juveniles are distinguished by a much more white plumage, especially around the head. Sexes have very similar plumage.
Habitat and Ecology[]
Crested serpent eagles can occur in many different habitats. They prefer the edges of forests where they can soar and effectively hunt. They can inhabit dry to wet forests, tea plantations, wooded savannas and mangroves. They only occasionally enter forest interiors because their size makes maneuvering difficult in thickly wooded habitats. They can tolerate a great deal of disturbance to their habitat, and are found primarily near secondary forests, but they must have some kind of forested area in which to hunt and make a nest. Crested serpent eagles can be found at altitudes of 1900 m.
Trophic Strategy[]
Crested serpent eagles are very adaptable carnivores. They prey primarily on snakes, as their name implies, and they are not limited to the non-venomous species. They also eat many different kinds of small mammals, monkeys, and birds. They will hunt either from a stationary perch or while soaring.
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