Crested Hawk-Eagle
Nisaetus cirrhatus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
- FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
- GenusNisaetus (Asian Hawk-Eagles)
- SpeciesNisaetus cirrhatus (Crested Hawk-Eagle)
About the Crested Hawk-Eagle
The changeable hawk-eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus) or crested hawk-eagle is a large bird of prey species of the family Accipitridae. More informal or antiquated English common names include the marsh hawk-eagle or Indian crested hawk-eagle. It is a member of the subfamily Aquilinae, with signature feathers, absent in tropical raptors from outside this subfamily, covering the tarsus. It was formerly placed in the genus Spizaetus, but studies pointed to the group being paraphyletic resulting in the Old World members being placed in Nisaetus and separated from the New World species. It is a typical "hawk-eagle" in that it is an agile forest-dwelling predator and like many such eagles readily varies its prey selection between birds, mammals or reptiles as well as other vertebrates. Among the members of its genus, the changeable hawk-eagle stands out as the most widely distributed, adaptable and abundant species. Individuals show a wide range of variation in plumage from pale to dark, varying with moult and age giving rise to the name "changeable".
The changeable hawk-eagle was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Manas National Park
Mountain Hawk-Eagle
Nisaetus nipalensis
Crested Serpent Eagle
Spilornis cheela
Oriental Honey-buzzard
Pernis ptilorhynchus
Indian Spotted Eagle
Aquila hastata
Black-winged Kite
Elanus caeruleus
Pied Harrier
Circus melanoleucos
Hen Harrier
Circus cyaneus
Jerdon's Baza
Aviceda jerdoni
Himalayan Vulture
Gyps himalayensis
Short-toed Eagle
Circaetus gallicus
Rufous-bellied Eagle
Lophotriorchis kienerii
Gray-headed Fish-Eagle
Icthyophaga ichthyaetus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Crested Hawk-Eagle in Manas National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Crested Hawk-Eagle sighting in Manas National Park, based on 444 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Crested Hawk-Eagle in Manas National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Crested Hawk-Eagle in Manas National Park in our monthly data.