Flores hawk-eagle | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Accipitriformes |
Family: | Accipitridae |
Genus: | Nisaetus |
Species: | N. floris |
Binomial name | |
Nisaetus floris (Hartert, 1898) | |
Synonyms | |
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The Flores hawk-eagle (Nisaetus floris) is a large raptor in the family Accipitridae. It is an endemic species to the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia. [2] A member of the genus Nisaetus , it was considered as a subspecies of and conspecific with the changeable hawk-eagle but genetic studies have evidenced it as a legitimate species. [3] A forest dwelling predator, this species is classified as Critically Endangered due to habitat loss and persecution. [1] [4]
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 (many books erroneously illustrate adults with largely brown heads). Furthermore, they have sparse light dark markings about the thighs. The white patches at the upperside of the primaries are a species diagnostic. Furthermore, the tail has 6, not 4–5, bars. [3] [5] [6] It has traditionally been treated as a subspecies of the changeable hawk-eagle; at least in part because of confusion over the true adult plumage of the Flores hawk-eagle, which resembles the juvenile of the changeable hawk-eagle. [3] [6] Unlike that species, adult and juvenile Flores hawk-eagles are quite similar. [3] Unlike some changeable hawk-eagles and many other Nisaetus, Flores hawk-eagles lack a head crest. [5]
What data is available shows Flores hawk-eagles are a fair bit larger than the changeable hawk-eagle. The total length is usually reported at 75 to 79 cm (30 to 31 in) but may range from 71 to 82 cm (28 to 32 in). Claims it may measure as little as 60 cm (24 in) are probably due to confusion with other hawk-eagle species. [3] [5] [6] The reported total lengths put in contention with the mountain hawk-eagle as the largest of all Nisaetus but the mountain species appears to significantly larger winged and more heavily built than the Flores species, which has the gracile and long-tailed form like the changeable hawk-eagle. However, no published weights are known for the Flores hawk-eagle. [5] [7] One paper estimated a body mass of around 2 kg (4.4 lb) for the Flores hawk-eagle. [8] The wing chord of the Flores hawk-eagle is 430 to 462 mm (16.9 to 18.2 in). [5]
An Indonesian endemic, the Flores hawk-eagle is distributed in forests of Flores, Lombok and Sumbawa in the Lesser Sundas. It mainly occurs in lowlands, but has been recorded at altitudes as high as 1,600 metres (5,200 ft). [3] The Flores hawk-eagle is known to be reliant on tropical rainforest. [4] Most frequently they are seen flying over the canopy over slight slopes of the forest. [3] They are sometimes reported as foraging over cultivations but this is only in areas adjacent to large stretches of forest. [3] [9] The use of both lowland and somewhat montane forest may be dictated by the extent of remnant forest. [9] [10]
Though clearly sedentary and non-migratory as are most tropical raptors, Flores hawk-eagles can disperse widely, mainly after their young disperse from their parent's range. Clearly, given their distribution across multiple islands, they are capable of crossing narrow straits. [4] [5] The call has been recorded as a loud, shrill and prolonged whistle. [6] Next to nothing is known of the diet of Flores hawk-eagles. What is presumed is largely projected from related species, such as their presumed propensity for perch hunting. [5] The presumed diet may consist of birds, lizards, snakes and mammals, but again this may be extrapolated from the diet of other hawk-eagles. [10] Incidences of predation by this species on snakes have been observed and one Flores hawk-eagle was seen carrying what was thought to be a rail. [5] [11] Suspected predation by Flores hawk-eagles has been reported on large flying foxes. [11] Nest activity by the species has been reported in March, April, May and August, with one downed tree reported by locals as containing a nest with a large eaglet in the latter month. [3] [10] Based on what little activity has been recorded, it appears that Flores hawk-eagle breeding season occurs during the dry season. [10] [12] No further details, including clutch size, egg appearance, incubation, parental behaviour or fledging, are known of their breeding habits. [5]
Due to ongoing habitat loss within its small range, capture for the cage bird trade and persecution due to its habit of taking chickens, the Flores hawk-eagle is evaluated as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [1] It is probably the world's rarest eagle species. [1] Poaching may be ongoing and trappers may even come from other islands to kill these birds. [5] However, the Flores hawk-eagle was once considered in western Flores be a "totem" or "empo," i.e., a human ancestor, and was not persecuted or killed but habitat destruction may have been long negatively effecting the species. [11] Educational efforts have been undertaken to try to ensure local people's coexistence with this predatory bird. [3] It is estimated that less than 100 pairs remain, based on a per pair occupancy of about 40 km2 (15 sq mi). [3] A more specific estimate put the total at about 75 projected pairs, with 10 pairs on Lombok, 38 pairs on Sumbawa, and 27 pairs on Flores. [4]
Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus Aquila. Most of the 68 species of eagles are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just 14 species can be found—two in North America, nine in Central and South America, and three in Australia.
The changeable hawk-eagle(Nisaetus cirrhatus) or crested hawk-eagle is a large bird of prey species of the family Accipitridae. More informal or antiquated English common names include the marsh hawk-eagle or Indian crested hawk-eagle. It is a member of the subfamily Aquilinae, with signature feathers, absent in tropical raptors from outside this subfamily, covering the tarsus. It was formerly placed in the genus Spizaetus, but studies pointed to the group being paraphyletic resulting in the Old World members being placed in Nisaetus and separated from the New World species. It is a typical "hawk-eagle" in that it is an agile forest-dwelling predator and like many such eagles readily varies its prey selection between birds, mammals or reptiles as well as other vertebrates. Among the members of its genus, the changeable hawk-eagle stands out as the most widely distributed, adaptable and abundant species. Individuals show a wide range of variation in plumage from pale to dark, varying with moult and age giving rise to the name "changeable".
The mountain hawk-eagle or Hodgson's hawk-eagle, is a large bird of prey native to Asia. The latter name is in reference to the naturalist, Brian Houghton Hodgson, who described the species after collecting one himself in the Himalayas. A less widely recognized common English name is the feather-toed eagle. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. Its feathered tarsus marks this species as a member of the subfamily Aquilinae. It is a confirmed breeding species in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, from India, Nepal through Bangladesh to Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam and Japan, although its distribution could be wider still as breeding species. Like other Asian hawk-eagles, this species was earlier treated under the genera of Spizaetus but genetic studies have shown this group to be paraphyletic, resulting in the Old World members being placed in Nisaetus and separated from the New World species. As is typical of hawk-eagles, the mountain hawk-eagle is a forest dwelling opportunistic predator who readily varies its prey selection between birds, mammals and reptiles along with other vertebrates. Although classified currently as a least-concern species due its persistence over a rather wide distribution, this species is often quite rare and scarce and seems to be decreasing, especially in response to large-scale habitat degradation and deforestation.
The black eagle is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae, and is the only member of the genus Ictinaetus. They soar over forests in the hilly regions of tropical and subtropical South and Southeast Asia, as well as southeastern China. They hunt mammals and birds, particularly at their nests. They are easily identified by their widely splayed and long primary "fingers", the characteristic silhouette, slow flight and yellow ceres and legs that contrast with their dark feathers.
The ornate hawk-eagle is a fairly large bird of prey from the tropical Americas. Formerly, some authorities referred to this species as the crested hawk-eagle, a name that may cause some confusion as it is more commonly used for an Asian eagle species. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. This species has a feathered tarsus that marks it as a member of the Aquilinae or booted eagle subfamily. This species is notable for the vivid colors and bold markings of adults, which differ considerably from the far more whitish plumage of the juvenile bird. The ornate hawk-eagle ranges from central Mexico south through much of Central America and in a somewhat spotty but broad overall range into South America, including in the west apart from the Andes and broadly on the Atlantic side especially Brazil down to as far as Southeast Brazil and northern Argentina. This species is found largely in primary forests with tall trees, although can be found in many forest types.
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 eagles that included species occurring in southern and southeastern Asia and one representative of this genus in the rainforests 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 long, and tend to be long-tailed and slender.
The Javan hawk-eagle is a medium-sized, dark brown raptor in the family Accipitridae. It is the national bird of Indonesia, where it is commonly referred to as the real-life model for the Garuda Pancasila, which is also inspired by Garuda; a bird-like deity in Hinduism and Buddhism. The scientific name commemorates the Bartels family, who discovered it.
The Sulawesi hawk-eagle, also known as Celebes hawk-eagle, is a medium-sized, approximately 64 cm (25 in) 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. The young has white head and underparts.
Wallace's scops owl or lesser Sunda scops owl is endemic to the Sumbawa and Flores islands, in the Lesser Sundas chain of Indonesia. It is not rare in most of its habitat and has no subspecies except for the nominate. It is also known as the Lesser Sunda scops owl. It is named after Alfred Russel Wallace, a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, and biologist.
Wallace's hawk-eagle is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is found in Kra Isthmus, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss and trade. It is among the smallest eagles in the world at about 46 cm (18 in) long and weighing 500–610 g (1.10–1.34 lb).
The Philippine hawk-eagle or north Philippine hawk-eagle, earlier treated under Spizaetus, is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Many taxonomists consider the Pinsker's hawk-eagle, a former subspecies, raised to full species status. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss and trapping.
The Sunda collared dove, sometimes referred to as the island collared dove, Javanese turtle dove, Javanese collared dove, or Indonesian collared dove, is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. Sometimes confused with the Eurasian collared dove which is very similar in appearance, the Sunda collared dove is a small to medium-sized bird, native to the tropical and subtropical islands of Indonesia.
The Flores green pigeon is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is endemic to the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia and occur on the islands Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Solor, Lembata, Pantar and Alor.
The Wallacean drongo or Greater Wallacean drongo is a species of bird in the family Dicruridae. It can be found in the countries of Indonesia and East Timor. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the hair-crested drongo.
The black hawk-eagle, also known as the tyrant hawk-eagle, is a species of eagle found from central Mexico through Central America into the south of Brazil to Colombia, eastern Peru, and as far as northern Argentina. There are two known subspecies, S.t. tyrannus, which is found in Southeastern Brazil and Northeastern Argentina, and the slightly smaller S. t. serus, which can be found elsewhere throughout the species' range. Its preferred habitats include humid and moist forests close to rivers, and several types of woodland. It is uncommon to fairly common throughout most of its range. Its closest relative is the ornate hawk-eagle, which is similar in size, appearance and behavior but lives at lower elevations.
Nisaetus, the crested hawk-eagles, is a genus of raptor in the subfamily Aquilinae, found mainly in tropical Asia. They were earlier placed within the genus Spizaetus but molecular studies show that the Old World representatives of that genus are closer to the genus Ictinaetus than to the New World Spizaetus. They are slender-bodied, medium-sized hawk-eagles with rounded wings, long feathered legs, barred wings, crests and usually adapted to forest habitats.
The sunset lorikeet, also known as the scarlet-breasted lorikeet or Forsten's lorikeet, is a species of parrot that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Tanah Jampea, and Kalaotoa. It was previously considered a subspecies of the rainbow lorikeet, but following a review in 1997, it is increasingly treated as a separate species.
The Lesser Sundas deciduous forests is a tropical dry forest ecoregion in Indonesia. The ecoregion includes the islands of Lombok, Sumbawa, Komodo, Flores, and Alor, along with the many adjacent smaller islands.
The Aquilinae are a subfamily of eagles of the family Accipitridae. The general common name used for members of this subfamily is "booted eagle", although this is also the common name of a member of the subfamily. At one point, this subfamily was considered inclusive with the Buteoninae based probably on some shared morphological characteristics. However, research on the DNA of the booted eagles has shown that they are a monophyletic group that probably have had millions of years of separation from other extant forms of accipitrid.
Pinsker's hawk-eagle, south Philippine hawk-eagle or Mindanao hawk-eagle, is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is endemic to the Philippines native to the islands of Leyte, Samar, Negros, Basilan, Bohol and Mindanao. It is found in primary moist lowland forest and tropical moist montane forest up to 1,900 m. It is threatened by habitat loss and hunting. IUCN estimates just 600–800 mature birds left.