Black Eagle Ictinaetus malaiensis Scientific name definitions

65–80 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); 1000–1600 g; wingspan 148–182 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Largish, kite-like eagle with broad paddle-shaped wings, long tail, smallish head and bill, large gape (2 Rasmussen, P. C., and J. C. Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia: the Ripley Guide. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ). Overall dark brownish-black , with variable amount of pale coloration on rump, around eyes and at base of outer primaries on underwing; narrow greyish barring visible on tail and remiges. Races identical in appearance, with perniger (male wing 520–580 mm) larger than nominate (male wing 488–510 mm). Juvenile mostly dark brown above with pale speckling on back and buffy streaks on head, neck and underparts , including underwings . In all age classes, eyes dark brown, cere and feet yellow.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Forested hills and mountains from sea-level to 3300 m elevation (5 Spierenburg, P. (2005). Birds in Bhutan: Status and Distribution. Oriental Bird Club, Bedford, UK. Close ) (but mostly at 300–2000 m); often around forest edge, clearings and second growth. Frequents evergreen forest and moist deciduous forest, including oak woodlands (6 Naoroji, R. (1999). Status of diurnal raptors of Corbett National Park with notes on their ecology and conservation. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 96(3):387-398. Close , 1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Occasionally hunts over Albizia (7 Mann, C. F. (2008). The Birds of Borneo: An Annotated Checklist. B.O.U. Checklist 23. British Ornithologists’ Union, and British Ornithologists’ Club, Peterborough. Close ) and tea plantations (8 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ).

Mainly sedentary, but some wandering suggested by vagrancy into Pakistan (where has bred) from W India, and by winter movements to lower elevations in Nepal (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Prey said to include birds (especially nestlings but also eggs), lizards, small mammals, frogs, bats and large insects. At Sri Lanka nest, 65% of observed food deliveries were giant squirrels (Ratufa macroura) and 35% were rats (Rattus spp.) (9 Gunawardena, K. (2006). A nest of the Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis in Sri Lanka. BirdingASIA. 6: 23–27. Close ). Predation of a red-and-white giant flying squirrel (Petaurista alborufus) recorded in Sichuan (10 Zhu, L., Yang, X.-N., Hao, G., Liu, T.-T., Dai, Z.-Y. and Sun, Y.-H. (2015). Notes on the diet of the Black Eagle Ictinaetus malaiensis. BirdingASIA. 23: 100–101. Close ). Hunts on wing with kite-like flight, sailing effortlessly and gracefully over treetops and grassy slopes. Foot structure, with short outer toe and less curved talons, thought to be specialized for snatching prey, including bird nests, from treetops. Suggestion that earlier reports of adults carrying bird nests were cases of mistaken identity in which the eagles actually were carrying nests of giant squirrels, which are built high in trees (9 Gunawardena, K. (2006). A nest of the Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis in Sri Lanka. BirdingASIA. 6: 23–27. Close ).

Generally silent, except during breeding season. Most common call a repeated, rather hoarse-sounding, piercing whistle “kheeee kheeee kheeee”  given during aerial displays. Also utters a repeated plaintive “keee-keeeuw”, or “hee-lee-leeuw”, from a perch or in flight (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Season varies: Nov–Jan in S India, later in N India; Oct–Apr in Bhutan (5 Spierenburg, P. (2005). Birds in Bhutan: Status and Distribution. Oriental Bird Club, Bedford, UK. Close ); Nov–Feb in Sri Lanka (9 Gunawardena, K. (2006). A nest of the Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis in Sri Lanka. BirdingASIA. 6: 23–27. Close ); Apr–Aug on Java; young in nest during Jul on Sulawesi; occupied nest in Aug on Sumatra; display in Feb in Peninsular Malaysia (8 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). Performs display flight c. 50 m above canopy, closing wings to undertake steep dive, U-loop, then near-vertical stall, before another dive, which can be repeated several times (8 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). Large stick nest  built by pair in crown of large tree in forest, often on slope; lined with green leaves. Nest discovered in Sri Lanka in mid Nov placed amidst dense foliage near top of a 25-m-tall tree on steep slope; nest 0·75–1·0 m across and c. 0·4 m deep (9 Gunawardena, K. (2006). A nest of the Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis in Sri Lanka. BirdingASIA. 6: 23–27. Close ). Clutch size usually one egg, very rarely two. At Sri Lanka nest, egg hatched c. 18 Dec, suggesting incubation period of 35–40 days, and chick fledged in mid Feb, indicating nestling period of c. 60 days (9 Gunawardena, K. (2006). A nest of the Black Eagle Ictinaetus malayensis in Sri Lanka. BirdingASIA. 6: 23–27. Close ). Display flights include spectacular diving plunge of 300 m or more, with wings folded into teardrop shape; more usually, undulating flight and chasing flights, the latter similar to those of Milvus kites.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Rough global population estimate of 10,000 individuals. Widespread, but usually rare to uncommon, or locally common; fairly common in Nepal; not uncommon, at any rate in past, in Chin Hills of NE Myanmar; said to be commonest raptor at Gunung Ambang Nature Reserve, N Sulawesi (11 Riley, J., and J. Mole (2001). The birds of Gunung Ambang Nature Reserve, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Forktail 17:57–66. Close ). Uncommon in Peninsular Malaysia (8 Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Volume 1. Non-passerines. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ) and very scarce on Borneo (7 Mann, C. F. (2008). The Birds of Borneo: An Annotated Checklist. B.O.U. Checklist 23. British Ornithologists’ Union, and British Ornithologists’ Club, Peterborough. Close ). Recently recorded in Bangladesh, where status uncertain (12 Chowdhury, S.U. and Prince, N.U. (2015). First record of Black Eagle Ictinaetus malaiensis from Bangladesh. BirdingASIA. 24: 142–143. Close ). Range in S China appears to be much larger than previously thought, reaching N to S Shaanxi and S Anhui, and including Hainan I (4 Zhu, L., Yang, X.-N., Hao, G., Huang, Q., Liu, T.-T., Dai, Z.-Y., Wei, Q., Lewthwaite, R.W. and Sun, Y.-H. (2014). A review of the distribution of Black Eagle Ictinaetus malaiensis in mainland China. Forktail. 30: 45–49. Close ). Populations probably declining from ongoing deforestation.