New Guinea Hawk-Eagle
Hieraaetus weiskei
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
- FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
- GenusHieraaetus (Small Eagles)
- SpeciesHieraaetus weiskei (New Guinea Hawk-Eagle)
About the New Guinea Hawk-Eagle
The pygmy eagle or New Guinea hawk-eagle (Hieraaetus weiskei) is a bird of prey found in New Guinea. Its natural habitats are primarily subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is one of the smallest species of eagle.
The pygmy eagle was described by German naturalist Anton Reichenow as Eutolmaetus weiskei in 1900. It was subsequently considered a subspecies of the little eagle or a distinct species. Gjershaug and colleagues analysed it genetically and found it distinct enough to warrant species status. The International Ornithologists' Union (IOC) subsequently recognised it as a distinct species. "Pygmy eagle" has been designated the official name by the IOC.
The pygmy eagle is one of the world's smallest-known species of eagle and smallest living member of the Aquilinae subfamily, only rivaled by the Great Nicobar serpent eagle in diminutive size by all modern species referred to as eagles. Pygmy eagles measure 38 to 48 cm (15 to 19 in) in length. The wingspan measures 112 to 126 cm (44 to 50 in). The female eagle is slightly larger than the male. One male pygmy eagle was found to... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Raja Ampat
Brahminy Kite
Haliastur indus
White-Bellied Sea-Eagle
Haliaeetus leucogaster
Pacific Baza
Aviceda subcristata
Long-tailed Honey-buzzard
Henicopernis longicauda
Gurney's Eagle
Aquila gurneyi
New Guinea Eagle
Harpyopsis novaeguineae
Whistling Kite
Haliastur sphenurus
Bat Hawk
Macheiramphus alcinus
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Eastern Osprey
Pandion cristatus
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
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a New Guinea Hawk-Eagle in Raja Ampat?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a New Guinea Hawk-Eagle sighting in Raja Ampat, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see New Guinea Hawk-Eagle in Raja Ampat?
October has the highest sighting rate for New Guinea Hawk-Eagle in Raja Ampat in our monthly data.