About the Rufous-bellied Eagle
The rufous-bellied eagle or rufous-bellied hawk-eagle is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae that is found in the forested regions of tropical Asia. Relatively small for eagles and contrastingly patterned like a falcon, this species was earlier placed in the genus Hieraaetus and sometimes also in the genus Aquila but thought to be distinctive enough to belong to a separate genus.
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ID tip
Adult rufous-bellied eagles are distinctive in their pattern. They have a black hood with a short crest. Chestnut underparts and wing coverts contrast with the white on the throat and breast. The sexes are almost indistinguishable in plumage but females are slightly larger and have more black on the face. They perch in a very upright stance and the wingtip almost reaches the tail. The tarsus is fully feathered. Juveniles have very white underparts with dark markings on the sides of the body, head mask and edge of underwing coverts. They can appear similar to a booted eagle (Aquila pennata).
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Laos.
When to see it
Peak activity in February · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Indian VultureGyps indicusThe Indian vulture is bulky and medium in size.
Eastern Chanting GoshawkMelierax poliopterusThis species averages 49 to 55 cm (19 to 22 in) long, with a wingspan of 96 to 110 cm (38 to 43 in) and a tail length of 20 to 25 cm (7.9 to 9.8 in).
Black-and-white Hawk-EagleSpizaetus melanoleucusAs its name suggests, this is a black and white eagle, resembling the small typical eagles sometimes separated in "Hieraaetus".
Learn the Rufous-bellied Eagle for real
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