Lesser fish eagle
| Lesser fish eagle | |
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I. humilis
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| Binomial name | |
| Ichthyophaga humilis |
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The lesser fish eagle (Ichthyophaga humilis) is a species of Ichthyophaga found in the Indian subcontinent, primarily in the foothills of the Himalayas, and south-east Asia. There have been some stray reports from Gujarat and Central India and in more recent times from the Kaveri river valley in southern India.[citation needed] The distribution in southern India is not yet confirmed.
Lesser fish eagles are fish-eating birds that have feet adapted to aid in gripping slippery fish. They have strongly curved talons,[2] and spicules along the underside of the birds' toes help to grip fish as they pull them from the water.[3]
There are two subspecies: Ichthyophaga humilis humilis, which is native to the Malaysian Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, and Sulawesi;[2] and Ichthyophaga humilis plumbea, which is native to Kashmir through southeast India, Nepal, and Burma towards Indochina.[2]
Description
The lesser fish eagle is a medium sized bird of prey that is primarily gray-brown in colour with broad, blunt wings and coarse featherless legs.[4] They are smaller than the similar Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus (gray-headed fish eagle)[5] and may often get confused with the similar species. The lesser fish eagle has a brown breast with white thighs and belly.[3] They have a short, rounded tail with a long neck and a small head.[5] Juvenile lesser fish eagles are similar in appearance to adults, although they have brown eyes whereas an adult has yellow. Adults have a wingspan reaching 1.2 m and can grow to up to 64 centimeters tall.[3]
Diet and feeding habits
The lesser fish eagle feeds primarily on fish, which it snatches from the water as it observes them from above on a perch, which may be an overhanging tree or rock in the middle of a stream.[2] They have several personal perches that they often switch between throughout their feeding time.[3] As their diet is primarily fish, lesser fish eagles have large, curved talons specialized for catching fish and taking them from the water.[5]
Habitat
They inhabit various forms of rivers, lakes, and wetlands[5] and are seen most often along hill streams and fast moving water.[5] They have been known to reach heights up to 2,400 m, but usually create their habitats below 1,000 m.[3] Some specific eagles have been recorded to reach heights exceeding 4,000 m in Nepal.[5]
Range
The lesser fish eagle has been known to live in India and the Kashmir region,[5] spanning eastward into Nepal, China, and other parts of Southeast Asia.[5] In India, they are restricted to the Himalayan foothills and move north-eastern.[3] Adults move south of the Himalayan mountain ranges, but remain partial and altitudinal in the Himalayas throughout the year.[5] They have been known to live in a variety of widespread locations such as Bangladesh and Nepal, to Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.[3] Researchers believe that there are 1,000 to 10,000 individuals.[5] The numbers of the lesser fish eagle are in decline for various reasons such as habitat loss, human disturbance, as well as hunting and nest robbery.[5] They have recently been listed as Near Threatened by BirdLife International.[5]
Reproduction
Although incubation and fledging periods are unknown, the breeding season in the lesser fish eagle begins in March and ends in August for those in Northern India and Nepal,[5] but in other areas, may begin in November and end in April.[5] Roughly 2-4 eggs are laid in a clutch,[5] and their nests consist of sticks and green leaves.[5] After enough use, the nest may reach 1 m across and up to 1.5 m deep.[5]
References
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