Black Eagle   Ictinaetus malayensis

Etymology:

• Ictinaetus : iktinos kite ;  aetos eagle
• Malayensis : From Malaya , Indian Archipelago

Vernacular name:   Hindi: Kala Garud, Cachar: Daoling gashim, Lepcha: Laknangbang, Nepal: Hugong, Guj: Shyam garud, Ta: Kazhugu, Te: Adavi nalla gadda, Mal: Karimparundu, Mar: Kala garud

Distribution in India: Resident of Himalayas  and hills across India.

Description:  Size of 65–80 cm; Weight of 1000–1600 g; wingspan of 148–182 cm. It is a large, kite-like eagle with broad paddle-shaped wings, long tail, small head and bill, large gape. It is 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. . The juvenile is mostly dark brown above with pale speckling on back and buffy streaks on head, neck and underparts, including underwings. In all age classes, eyes are dark brown, cere and feet are yellow.

Habitat: It is found in forested hills and mountains, often around forest edge, clearings and second growth. Frequents evergreen forest and moist deciduous forest, including oak woodlands. It is found from sea-level to 3300 m elevation. 

Food Habits: It eats birds especially nestlings and eggs, lizards, small mammals, frogs, bats and large insects. It 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.

Breeding Habits: They breed in Nov–Jan in India. They perform display flight above canopy, closing wings to undertake steep dive, U-loop, then near-vertical stall, before another dive, which can be repeated several times. The nest is a large stick nest built by pair in crown of large tree in forest, often on slope; lined with green leaves. . They lay a clutch of one egg, very rarely two. The incubation period is 35–40 days, and nestling period is. 60 days.