Crested Hawk Eagle  Nisaetus Cirrhatus

Etymology:

• Nisaetus : Nisus- king of Megara, was betrayed by hisd aughter Scylla and metamorphosed into a Sparrowhawk ; aetos – Eagle

• Cirrhatus : Latin word derived from cirrus – curl of hair   { Curly headed} 

Vernacular Names: Mar: Morghar

Distribution in India: Resident of central India and Peninsular India.

Description:  Size of 51–82 cm; wt. of 1300–1900 g; wingspan of 100–160 cm. . It is a hawk eagle occurring in two forms, crested and crestless. It is dark brown above, and heavily streaked dark on whitish underparts. Irides are yellow to orange-yellow in adult, greyish-brown to pale greenish-yellow in juvenile; cere is greyish to greenish-brown in adult, dull greyish in juvenile; feet are yellow. The juvenile is similar, but with pale head and less heavily marked underparts. The race ceylanensis is monomorphic, with long crest, similar to nominate race but smaller; races andamanensis and vanheurni are monomorphic and crestless; race limnaeetus lacks crest and has light morph that is more heavily streaked below than nominate and a dark morph .

Habitat: It is found in deciduous and evergreen forest, as well as secondary forest, gallery forest, savanna, forested villages, tea and teak plantations. It is found  in lowlands and foothills from sea-level to 2200 m.

Food Habits: Its eats small and large birds, snakes, frogs, lizards and mammals; mammals include squirrels, rats, hares, and occasionally monkeys and tree shrews. Hunts like large goshawk, from concealed perch inside forest, or along forest edge. Prey captured after short rapid stoop. Also scavenges on occasion.

Breeding Habits: Breeds in Nov-May in India. Large stick nest built by pair on high fork of large tree; usually in forest, but alternatively in isolated tree. Display consists of pair soaring over territory, constantly calling. They lay a clutch of 1 egg. The incubation is done by female, for more than 40 days. Chicks are born altricial and fledge after 68 days