Crested Serpent Eagle - Spilornis cheela
The Hawk Conservancy Trust - Crested Serpent Eagle
Crested Serpent Eagle - Spilornis cheela
Members of the genus
Spilornis
are mostly rather large hawks, ranging to rather small. Essentially there is only one widespread form from India to Celebes and the Philippines, with many well-marked island forms. Only on the Andaman Islands has there been a `double invasion' with two species co-existing, and even they appear to be separated ecologically with one living inland and the other in the mangrove swamps. The Celebes and Philippine forms are recognised as distinct; as are some of the dwarf races of the Nicobars and Sumatran Islands.
Photograph by kind permission of E Horvath,
Castle Country Wildlife Center
Range
The Crested Serpent Eagle is resident in tropical continental Asia from India east to south-east China, and the Malaysian and Indonesian regions south to Bali and east to the Philippines. It prefers forests or woodlands, and is not usually found in open country.
Diet
Chiefly reptiles, tree snakes especially, but also some lizards. It will pick up dead snakes as carrion. Also a few small mammals, and rarely birds. It is not a danger to gamebirds or poultry. All prey is taken on the ground.
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