Grey-headed Fish Eagle

Taxobox

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image_width = 240px
name = Grey-headed Fish Eagle
status = NT | status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Accipitriformes
familia = Accipitridae
genus = "Ichthyophaga"
species = "I. ichthyaetus"
binomial = "Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus"
binomial_authority = (Horsfield, 1821)The Grey-headed Fish Eagle ("Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus") is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae.

Grey-headed Fish Eagle breeds in southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka to south east Asia and the Philippines. It is a forest bird which builds a stick nest in a tree near water and lays two to four eggs.

Grey-headed Fish Eagle is a largish stocky raptor at about 70-75cm in length. Adults have dark brown wings and back, a grey head and reddish brown breast. The lower belly, thighs and tail are white, the latter having a black terminal band.

Sexes are similar, but young birds have a pale buff head, underparts and underwing, all with darker streaking.

Grey-headed Fish Eagle, as its English and scientific names suggest, is a specialist fish eater which hunts over lakes, lagoons and large rivers.

References

* Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is near threatened

* Grimmett, Richard; Inskipp, Carol, Inskipp, Tim & Byers, Clive (1999): "Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives". Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.. ISBN 0-691-04910-6