Long-crested eagle

Long-crested Eagle
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain	Eukaryota
Kingdom	Animalia
Subkingdom	Bilateria
Branch	Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Sub-phylum	Vertebrata
Infraphylum	Gnathostomata
Class Information
Superclass	Tetrapoda
Class	Aves
Sub-class	Neornithes
Infra-class	Neoaves
Order Information
Order	Accipitriformes
Sub-order	Accipitres
Family Information
Superfamily	Accipitroidea
Family	Accipitridae
Sub-family	Aquilinae
Genus Information
Genus	Lophaetus
Species Information
Species	L. occipitalis
Synonyms	Spizaetus occipitalis
Population statistics
Population	Unknown (2016 est.)
Conservation status	Least concern

The long-crested eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis) is a species of bird of prey of the family Accipitridae, and found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa.

Description

Long-crested eagles are medium-sized, about the size of a common buzzard (Buteo buteo), but have a longer tail, legs, and are significantly heavier. It is about 21 to 23 inches in length, a wingspan of 44 to 50.6 inches, and weigh 32 to 53 ounces. Females are slightly larger than males. It is blackish-brown to black in color overall, with patches or mottling of a slightly-lighter brown. Both primary and secondary flight feathers, and tail white with dark barring; when viewed from above, only the primaries are marked in this fashion. The head is crowned with several feathers jutting towards the back in an elongated crest. The iris is golden yellow over orange to reddish brown, the beak yellow and black. The legs are white and speckled with dark brown, and feathered to the toes. Juvenile birds differ little from adults, with less banding on the tail, and brownish banding on the wings.

The calls have been described as a long, shrill "kik-kik-kik-kik-kiii-ih", or a display call "keeee-eh" or "keee-ee-af".

Taxonomy

The current taxonomic placement of the long-crested eagle is as of yet undetermined. Previously, the species was placed in the genus Aquila in 1972, with later research ten years later placing it within Spizaetus. Later molecular studies (one mitochondrial and three nuclear genes) have indicated a proposed placement to the genus Clanga. Other proposals, such as merging the genus Hieraaetus into Aquila, or merging clades based on other DNA studies have been made. As of 2020, the long-crested eagle remains within its own monotypic genus, Lophaetus.

Range and habitat

The long-crested eagle is found in Africa, from the Atlantic Ocean east to the Red Sea in Sudan south of the Sahara desert within a geographic region called the Sahal; southward its range extends to Angola in the west, the Congo river basin, Mozambique, Tanzania, and into South Africa. It is not found within either the Kalahari or Namib deserts, or the semi-arid lands adjacent to them. It inhabits a wide range of forested habitats, from tropical rainforests, gallery forests, and wet savannas.

Diet

It is a typical resident still-hunter, scanning for prey usually from a sitting perch. Prey items consist mainly of small, ground-dwelling mammals and birds. In addition, small lizards, snakes, fish, insects and crabs and occasionally fruits are used.

Reproduction

Nests are built 20 to 60 feet in trees below the canopy, and they will often reuse the abandoned nests of other birds. The clutch consists of 1-2 white, brown-spotted eggs and is mainly incubated by the female. Although it has been known to breed all year, the primary season is between July to November, and lasts about 42 days. Incubation is done by the female. with the chicks fed by both parents. Chicks are fledged after 53–58 days.

Threats

The IUCN has classified this species as "least concern". Deforestation for the purpose of agriculture or human habitation, usually an issue with similar species, as merely caused an increase in numbers; it is seen by locals as a pest remover, i.e. its predilection for rodents, and therefore not persecuted.