Gray-headed Fish-Eagle
Icthyophaga ichthyaetus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
- FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
- GenusIcthyophaga (Southern Sea-Eagles and Fish-Eagles)
- SpeciesIcthyophaga ichthyaetus (Gray-headed Fish-Eagle)
About the Gray-headed Fish-Eagle
The grey-headed fish eagle (Icthyophaga ichthyaetus) is a fish-eating bird of prey from Southeast Asia. It is a large stocky raptor with adults having dark brown upper body, grey head and lighter underbelly and white legs. Juveniles are paler with darker streaking. It is often confused with the lesser fish eagle (Icthyophaga humilis) and the Pallas's fish eagle. The lesser fish eagle is similar in plumage but smaller and the Pallas's fish eagle shares the same habitat and feeding behaviour but is larger with longer wings and darker underparts. Is often called tank eagle in Sri Lanka due to its fondness for irrigation tanks.
The grey-headed fish eagle was first described by Horsfield in 1841 as Falco ichthyaetus. It is included in the order Accipitriformes and the family Accipitridae, which includes most birds of prey except for the ospreys and falcons. Lerner & Mindell placed the grey-headed fish eagle in the subfamily Haliaeetinae, which includes the genera Haliaeetus (sea eagles) This paraphyletic group forms a close sister relationship with the subfamily Milvinae, based on the shared trait of basal fusion of the second and third phalanges found only in these two groups... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Gray-headed Fish-Eagle in Kaziranga National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Kaziranga National Park
Crested Serpent Eagle
Spilornis cheela
Pallas's Fish Eagle
Haliaeetus leucoryphus
Slender-billed Vulture
Gyps tenuirostris
Himalayan Vulture
Gyps himalayensis
Crested Hawk-Eagle
Nisaetus cirrhatus
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Pernis ptilorhynchus
Greater Spotted Eagle
Aquila clanga
Black-winged Kite
Elanus caeruleus
Steppe Eagle
Aquila nipalensis
Black Baza
Aviceda leuphotes
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneus
Black Kite
Milvus migrans
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaziranga National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Wilpattu National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 3 | Yala National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 4 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 5 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 6 | Minneriya National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 7 | Royal Bardia National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 8 | Way Kambas National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 9 | Jim Corbett National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 10 | Bandipur National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 11 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 12 | Satpura National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 13 | Nagarhole National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 14 | Kanha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 15 | Cat Tien National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 16 | Manas National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 17 | Bandhavgarh National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 18 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 19 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 20 | Gir National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 21 | Horton Plains National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 22 | Kerinci Seblat National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 23 | Royal Manas National Park | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | |
| 24 | Namdapha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 25 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Gray-headed Fish-Eagle in Kaziranga National Park?
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Gray-headed Fish-Eagle sighting in Kaziranga National Park, based on 1,734 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Gray-headed Fish-Eagle in Kaziranga National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Gray-headed Fish-Eagle in Kaziranga National Park in our monthly data.