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Ornate hawk-eagle
The ornate hawk-eagle (Spizaetus ornatus) is a bird of prey from the tropical Americas. Formerly, some authorities referred to this species as the crested hawk-eagle, a name that may cause some confusion as it is more commonly used for an Asian eagle species. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. This species has a feathered tarsus that marks it as a member of the Aquilinae or booted eagle subfamily. This species is notable for the vivid colors and bold markings of adults, which differ considerably from the far more whitish plumage of the juvenile bird. The ornate hawk-eagle ranges from central Mexico south through much of Central America and in a somewhat spotty but broad overall range into South America, including in the west apart from the Andes and broadly on the Atlantic side especially Brazil down to as far as Southeast Brazil and northern Argentina. This species is found largely in primary forests with tall trees, although can be found in many forest types.
The ornate hawk-eagle female lays almost always a single egg and the species has a fairly prolonged breeding cycle like many tropical raptors, especially due to a lengthy post-fledging stage on which juveniles are dependent on their parents. It is a diversified and exceptionally powerful predator which takes a range of prey, usually various medium-to-large-sized birds and small-to-medium-sized mammals as well as occasional reptiles. Like many forest-dependent raptors, especially those in the tropical and subtropical regions, this species is likely under the pressing threat of deforestation. The decline of forest habitat in this species range, especially the Amazon rainforest, led the IUCN to uplist the ornate hawk-eagle as Near Threatened in 2016.
The ornate hawk-eagle is a member of the booted eagle subfamily, with the signature well-feathered tarsi present on both tropical and temperate species (and shared, presumably through convergent evolution, with a pair of buteonine hawks). It is one of four living members of the Spizaetus genus of "hawk-eagle" native to the neotropics. At one time, Old World hawk-eagles, native to various southern areas of Asia, were also included in the Spizaetus genus. However, genetic studies have shown the Asian group of species to be paraphyletic, resulting in the Old World members being placed in Nisaetus (Hodgson, 1836) and separated from the New World species.
The history of the American Spizaetus genus has been indicated by the diversity of hawk-eagles found in the fossil records in the United States and Mexico. At least five such species have been described, having presumably radiated from basal hawk-eagles of Asian origin across the Bering Land Bridge. Some of these are ancestors of modern Spizaetus species, with the genera having been present in North America at least since the Pliocene. Some forms were considerably more massive than any extant hawk-eagle and indeed were likely to have exceeded the size of any living booted eagle. Fossil species such as Spizaetus willetti may have grown to similar sizes as the modern harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja).
Genetic markers indicate the black-and-white hawk-eagle (Spizaetus melanoleucus) and especially the black-and-chestnut eagle (Spizaetus isidori) are closely related to the ornate hawk-eagle, resulting in their respective former genera of Spizastur and Oroaetus being eliminated. The fourth neotropical hawk-eagle, the black hawk-eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus), has been found to be basal to the other extant species. Per genetic research, the ornate hawk-eagle and black-and-chestnut eagle are considered as sister species.
The ornate hawk-eagle has two subspecies. The nominate subspecies (S. o. ornatus) occupies much of the South American range of the species, including eastern Colombia, Venezuela ,and all of the species' range in Brazil and points south. The second subspecies, S. o. vicarius, has been described to inhabit the discontinuous northern part of the range, extending from Mexico and Central America south through much of western Colombia and western Ecuador and as far south as El Oro. The subspecies seem to differ mostly in the plumage characteristics of adults. Whereas the nominate birds are a more cinnamon-hued color on the neck with slightly paler ground color and sparser markings about the head and undersides, S. o. vicarius, tends to be darker overall, with a richer, deeper. more rufous color around the neck, denser and darker markings overall, and broader bands on the tail.
This is a medium to large-sized species of raptor, but small for an eagle. In the ornate hawk-eagle, the sexes are similar in appearance and overlap in size, but like most birds of prey, do show reverse sexual dimorphism, in which females outsize males to the contrary of most nonraptorial birds. The biggest female ornate hawk-eagles are 13% larger than biggest males, with an average of about 8% greater in nominate race. In Central America, in extreme cases, the largest females are as much as 50% heavier than the smallest males. The species is slightly smaller than the largest members of widespread raptor genera such as the largest Buteo and Falco species, but is usually larger than other forest raptors in its range apart from vultures and other eagle species.
The total length of full-grown ornate hawk-eagle is 56.0 to 68.5 cm (22.0 to 27.0 in). Average total length is estimated at 60 cm (24 in) for males and 63 cm (25 in) for females. The wingspan may range from 117 to 142 cm (3 ft 10 in to 4 ft 8 in). Body mass can vary in males from 835 to 1,215 g (1.841 to 2.679 lb) and in females from 950 to 1,760 g (2.09 to 3.88 lb). The average weight of five adult males was 1,009 g (2.224 lb) while another five males averaged 1,035 g (2.282 lb). The average weight of four adult females was 1,421 g (3.133 lb), while a sample of 11 averaged 1,452 g (3.201 lb). Among standard measurements, wing chord measures from 312 to 360 mm (12.3 to 14.2 in) in males and 320 to 405 mm (12.6 to 15.9 in) in females against S. o. vicarius in which wing chord is known to measure 337.8 to 349.3 mm (13.30 to 13.75 in) in males and 353.3 to 388 mm (13.91 to 15.28 in) in females.
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Ornate hawk-eagle
The ornate hawk-eagle (Spizaetus ornatus) is a bird of prey from the tropical Americas. Formerly, some authorities referred to this species as the crested hawk-eagle, a name that may cause some confusion as it is more commonly used for an Asian eagle species. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. This species has a feathered tarsus that marks it as a member of the Aquilinae or booted eagle subfamily. This species is notable for the vivid colors and bold markings of adults, which differ considerably from the far more whitish plumage of the juvenile bird. The ornate hawk-eagle ranges from central Mexico south through much of Central America and in a somewhat spotty but broad overall range into South America, including in the west apart from the Andes and broadly on the Atlantic side especially Brazil down to as far as Southeast Brazil and northern Argentina. This species is found largely in primary forests with tall trees, although can be found in many forest types.
The ornate hawk-eagle female lays almost always a single egg and the species has a fairly prolonged breeding cycle like many tropical raptors, especially due to a lengthy post-fledging stage on which juveniles are dependent on their parents. It is a diversified and exceptionally powerful predator which takes a range of prey, usually various medium-to-large-sized birds and small-to-medium-sized mammals as well as occasional reptiles. Like many forest-dependent raptors, especially those in the tropical and subtropical regions, this species is likely under the pressing threat of deforestation. The decline of forest habitat in this species range, especially the Amazon rainforest, led the IUCN to uplist the ornate hawk-eagle as Near Threatened in 2016.
The ornate hawk-eagle is a member of the booted eagle subfamily, with the signature well-feathered tarsi present on both tropical and temperate species (and shared, presumably through convergent evolution, with a pair of buteonine hawks). It is one of four living members of the Spizaetus genus of "hawk-eagle" native to the neotropics. At one time, Old World hawk-eagles, native to various southern areas of Asia, were also included in the Spizaetus genus. However, genetic studies have shown the Asian group of species to be paraphyletic, resulting in the Old World members being placed in Nisaetus (Hodgson, 1836) and separated from the New World species.
The history of the American Spizaetus genus has been indicated by the diversity of hawk-eagles found in the fossil records in the United States and Mexico. At least five such species have been described, having presumably radiated from basal hawk-eagles of Asian origin across the Bering Land Bridge. Some of these are ancestors of modern Spizaetus species, with the genera having been present in North America at least since the Pliocene. Some forms were considerably more massive than any extant hawk-eagle and indeed were likely to have exceeded the size of any living booted eagle. Fossil species such as Spizaetus willetti may have grown to similar sizes as the modern harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja).
Genetic markers indicate the black-and-white hawk-eagle (Spizaetus melanoleucus) and especially the black-and-chestnut eagle (Spizaetus isidori) are closely related to the ornate hawk-eagle, resulting in their respective former genera of Spizastur and Oroaetus being eliminated. The fourth neotropical hawk-eagle, the black hawk-eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus), has been found to be basal to the other extant species. Per genetic research, the ornate hawk-eagle and black-and-chestnut eagle are considered as sister species.
The ornate hawk-eagle has two subspecies. The nominate subspecies (S. o. ornatus) occupies much of the South American range of the species, including eastern Colombia, Venezuela ,and all of the species' range in Brazil and points south. The second subspecies, S. o. vicarius, has been described to inhabit the discontinuous northern part of the range, extending from Mexico and Central America south through much of western Colombia and western Ecuador and as far south as El Oro. The subspecies seem to differ mostly in the plumage characteristics of adults. Whereas the nominate birds are a more cinnamon-hued color on the neck with slightly paler ground color and sparser markings about the head and undersides, S. o. vicarius, tends to be darker overall, with a richer, deeper. more rufous color around the neck, denser and darker markings overall, and broader bands on the tail.
This is a medium to large-sized species of raptor, but small for an eagle. In the ornate hawk-eagle, the sexes are similar in appearance and overlap in size, but like most birds of prey, do show reverse sexual dimorphism, in which females outsize males to the contrary of most nonraptorial birds. The biggest female ornate hawk-eagles are 13% larger than biggest males, with an average of about 8% greater in nominate race. In Central America, in extreme cases, the largest females are as much as 50% heavier than the smallest males. The species is slightly smaller than the largest members of widespread raptor genera such as the largest Buteo and Falco species, but is usually larger than other forest raptors in its range apart from vultures and other eagle species.
The total length of full-grown ornate hawk-eagle is 56.0 to 68.5 cm (22.0 to 27.0 in). Average total length is estimated at 60 cm (24 in) for males and 63 cm (25 in) for females. The wingspan may range from 117 to 142 cm (3 ft 10 in to 4 ft 8 in). Body mass can vary in males from 835 to 1,215 g (1.841 to 2.679 lb) and in females from 950 to 1,760 g (2.09 to 3.88 lb). The average weight of five adult males was 1,009 g (2.224 lb) while another five males averaged 1,035 g (2.282 lb). The average weight of four adult females was 1,421 g (3.133 lb), while a sample of 11 averaged 1,452 g (3.201 lb). Among standard measurements, wing chord measures from 312 to 360 mm (12.3 to 14.2 in) in males and 320 to 405 mm (12.6 to 15.9 in) in females against S. o. vicarius in which wing chord is known to measure 337.8 to 349.3 mm (13.30 to 13.75 in) in males and 353.3 to 388 mm (13.91 to 15.28 in) in females.