Short-toed Eagle
Circaetus gallicus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
- FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
- GenusCircaetus (Snake-Eagles)
- SpeciesCircaetus gallicus (Short-toed Eagle)
About the Short-toed Eagle
The short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus), also known as the short-toed eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers. The genus name Circaetus is from the Ancient Greek kirkos, a type of hawk, and aetos, "eagle". The specific gallicus means "of Gallia".
The short-toed snake eagle was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the falcons, eagles and their relatives in the genus Falco and coined the binomial name Falco gallicus. Gmelin based his description on the "Jean le Blanc" that had been described by the English ornithologist John Latham and the French ornithologists Mathurin Jacques Brisson and the Comte de Buffon. The short-toed snake eagle is now placed in the genus Circaetus that was introduced in 1816 by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot. The genus name is from the Ancient Greek kirkos, a type of hawk, and aetos, "eagle". The specific epithet gallicus is Latin for "Gaul" ie France.
Two subspecies are recognised: C... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Short-toed Eagle in Chitwan National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Chitwan National Park
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Spilornis cheela
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Pernis ptilorhynchus
Gray-headed Fish-Eagle
Icthyophaga ichthyaetus
Black Kite
Milvus migrans
Crested Hawk-Eagle
Nisaetus cirrhatus
Indian White-rumped Vulture
Gyps bengalensis
Himalayan Vulture
Gyps himalayensis
Red-headed Vulture
Sarcogyps calvus
Black-winged Kite
Elanus caeruleus
Cinereous Vulture
Aegypius monachus
Steppe Eagle
Aquila nipalensis
Booted Eagle
Hieraaetus pennatus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Short-toed Eagle in Chitwan National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Short-toed Eagle sighting in Chitwan National Park, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Short-toed Eagle in Chitwan National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Short-toed Eagle in Chitwan National Park in our monthly data.