Medium-sized eagle with short, rounded wings. Adult is dark brown above and white with heavy streaking and barring below. Perched birds show a prominent vertical crest. When in flight, note prominent “fingers”, black-striped white throat, and bold black banding on the flight feathers and tail. Juvenile has a pale tan head and underparts, a shorter crest, and paler black banding on the wings and tail. Pale morph Changeable Hawk-Eagle can be similar, but note present species’ more densely patterned underparts and wings, taller crest, and tan (not white) head in juveniles. Endemic to Java, where it is now largely limited to foothill and montane forests. Soars often, but also frequently perches silently in the canopy. Quiet, but occasionally gives thin yelping screams.