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Difference between revisions of "Crested Serpent Eagle" - BirdForum Opus

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==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
 
====Subspecies====
 
====Subspecies====
−
About 20 subspecies are currently recognised, some of which may be deserving of full species status<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>.
+
About 20 subspecies are currently recognised, some of which may be deserving of full species status<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
 +
* ''S. c. cheela'' in northern [[India]] and [[Nepal]]
 +
* ''S. c. melanotis'' in the Indo-Gangetic plain
 +
* ''S. c. spilogaster'' in [[Sri Lanka]]
 +
* ''S. c. burmanicus'' from [[Burma]] to southwestern [[China]], [[Thailand]] and [[Indochina]]
 +
* ''S. c. davisoni'' on the [[Andaman Islands]]
 +
* ''S. c. ricketti'' in southern [[China]] and northern [[Vietnam]]
 +
* ''S. c. hoya'' in [[Taiwan]]
 +
* ''S. c. rutherfordi'' on Hainan (southern [[China]])
 +
* ''S. c. palawanensis'' on Palawan (southwestern [[Philippines]])
 +
* ''S. c. pallidus'' in the lowlands of northern [[Borneo]]
 +
* ''S. c. richmondi'' in southern [[Borneo]]
 +
* ''S. c. malayensis'' on the [[Malay Peninsula]], northern [[Sumatra]] and Anambas Islands
 +
* ''S. c. batu'' on southern [[Sumatra]] and Batu Islands
 +
* ''S. c. bido'' on [[Java]] and [[Bali]]
 +
* ''S. c. minimus'' on Nicobar Islands, [[India]]
 +
* ''S. c. perplexus'' on southern Ryukyu Islands
 +
* ''S. c. natunensis'' on Natunas and Belitung islands (off [[Borneo]])
 +
* ''S. c. abbotti'' on Simeulue Island (off western [[Sumatra]])
 +
* ''S. c. asturinus'' on Nias Island (off western [[Sumatra]])
 +
* ''S. c. sipora'' on the Mentawai Archipelago (off western [[Sumatra]])
 +
* ''S. c. baweanus'' on Bawean Island (off northern [[Java]])
 +
[[Image:44497Ryukyu-Serpent-Eagle.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''perplexus'' <br /> Photo by {{user|MANDA|MANDA}} <br />Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, [[Japan]], March 2005]]
  
−
Nominate race is found in northern [[India]]
 
−
*''melanotis'' in southern [[India]]
 
−
*''spilogaster'' in [[Sri Lanka]] and ''davisoni'' in the [[Andaman Islands]]
 
−
*''S. c. burmanicus'' occurs from [[Burma]] to central and southern [[Indochina]]
 
−
*''ricketti'' in south-east [[China]] and northern [[Indochina]]
 
−
*''rutherfordi'' on Hainan
 
−
*''hoya'' on [[Taiwan]]
 
−
*''perplexus'' in the southern Ryukyu Islands.
 
−
 
−
Further south race ''malayensis'' is found in southern [[Burma]], [[Malaysia]] and northern [[Sumatra]]
 
−
[[Image:44497Ryukyu-Serpent-Eagle.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''perplexus'' <br /> Photo by {{user|MANDA|MANDA}} <br />Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, [[Japan]], March 2005]]
 
−
*''batu'' on Batu Island and southern [[Sumatra]]
 
−
*''sipora'' on the Mentawi Islands and Sipora
 
−
*''bido'' on [[Java]] and [[Bali]]
 
−
*''baweanus'' on Bawean Island
 
−
*''pallidus'' on [[Borneo]]
 
−
*''natunensis'' on Bunguran and Billiton Islands
 
−
*''asturinus'' on Nias
 
−
*''abbottii'' on Simalur
 
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*''palawanensis'' on Palawan, Balabac and the Calamian Islands
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Forest and forest edge, riverine woodland, farmland and sometimes near villages. Occurs up to 3,000m in the [[Himalayas]].
 
Forest and forest edge, riverine woodland, farmland and sometimes near villages. Occurs up to 3,000m in the [[Himalayas]].

Revision as of 12:30, 8 May 2015

Spilornis minimus redirects here. For the species Nicobar Serpent Eagle, see Spilornis klossi.

Photo by Yeshey Dorji
Dakpai, Zhemgang, central Bhutan, September 2004
Spilornis cheela

Identification

Medium large raptor about 55-75cm in length.
Adult

  • Dark brown upperparts and head
    • Hooded appearance at rest
  • Pale brown underparts and underwing coverts
  • Appears large-headed and owl-like due to face s hape and position of eyes
Subspecies spilogaster
Photo by G Steve G
Minneriya National Park, Sri Lanka, August 2009

Flight

  • Shallow dihedral in soaring flight
  • Tail and flight feathers black with broad white stripes

Distribution

Southern Asia. Widespread and generally common from northern India south to Sri Lanka east to southern China, Hainan, Taiwan and the southern Ryukyu Islands and south to the Andaman Islands and Malay Peninsula. Also breeds on Palawan, Borneo, Sumatra, Java and many smaller islands.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

About 20 subspecies are currently recognised, some of which may be deserving of full species status[1]:

  • S. c. cheela in northern India and Nepal
  • S. c. melanotis in the Indo-Gangetic plain
  • S. c. spilogaster in Sri Lanka
  • S. c. burmanicus from Burma to southwestern China, Thailand and Indochina
  • S. c. davisoni on the Andaman Islands
  • S. c. ricketti in southern China and northern Vietnam
  • S. c. hoya in Taiwan
  • S. c. rutherfordi on Hainan (southern China)
  • S. c. palawanensis on Palawan (southwestern Philippines)
  • S. c. pallidus in the lowlands of northern Borneo
  • S. c. richmondi in southern Borneo
  • S. c. malayensis on the Malay Peninsula, northern Sumatra and Anambas Islands
  • S. c. batu on southern Sumatra and Batu Islands
  • S. c. bido on Java and Bali
  • S. c. minimus on Nicobar Islands, India
  • S. c. perplexus on southern Ryukyu Islands
  • S. c. natunensis on Natunas and Belitung islands (off Borneo)
  • S. c. abbotti on Simeulue Island (off western Sumatra)
  • S. c. asturinus on Nias Island (off western Sumatra)
  • S. c. sipora on the Mentawai Archipelago (off western Sumatra)
  • S. c. baweanus on Bawean Island (off northern Java)
Subspecies perplexus
Photo by MANDA
Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan, March 2005

Habitat

Forest and forest edge, riverine woodland, farmland and sometimes near villages. Occurs up to 3,000m in the Himalayas.

Behaviour

Diet

They specialise in reptiles hunting over woodland for snakes and lizards.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Birdforum thread discussing identification of Crested Serpent Eagle

Recommended Citation

External Links


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