Rufous-bellied Eagle

Rufous-bellied Eagle (Hieraaetus kienerii) is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the buzzards, hawks and Old World vultures.

Rufous-bellied Eagle breeds in tropical Asia. It is resident in Sri Lanka, southwest and northern India, and east to southeast Asia and Indonesia.

This species is associated with woodland. The large stick nest is built in a tree and a single egg is laid.

Rufous-bellied Eagle is a smallish eagle, 54-60cm long. It has broad rounded wings, held flat while soaring, and a short broad tail. It eats mainly birds and small mammals.

The adult has blackish upperparts and head. The foreneck and breast are white, and the tail and flight feathers are white barred with dark. The rest of the underparts are chestnut. Sexes are similar.

The immature eagle has white in place of the adult's chestnut plumage, and dark flank patches.

Reference

• Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6