12 Species of Eagles Found in Indian Sub-Continent

Eagles are the Apex predator in the family of Bird of Prey in India including hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures. Eagles are one of the five species of flying predators found in India and typical eagles are often united with the common buzzard and sea eagles, Other type of Eagles in India are named as Fish-Eagle,Hawk-Eagle,Serpent-Eagle and Spotted-Eagle.

Spotted Eagle

The Indian spotted eagle is one of the largest bird of prey in India and native to Indian Sub-Continent, resident and breeding in in Madhya Pradesh,southern Orissa and Nilgiris district. Indian spotted eagle,Greater spotted eagle and Lesser spotted eagle are three well known species of Spotted Eagles. Photo Credit – Prasad Datar.

Steppe Eagle

The steppe eagle belongs to the family Accipitridae and is a large bird of prey breeds in open dry habitats, such as desert, semi-desert and steppes. Steppe Eagle species is larger and darker than the tawny eagle.

Tawny Eagle

The large bird of prey tawny eagle was once considered to be closely related to the migratory steppe eagle, breeds in mostly in tropical southwestern Asia to India. Its range it favours open dry habitats, such as desert, semi-desert and steppes.

Black Eagle

The black eagle are a large bird of prey and hunt mammals and birds, particularly at their nests. Black Eagles are found to favour forests with good forest cover in the Himalayan foothills in the forests of the Eastern and Western Ghats in peninsular India.

Serpent Eagle

The crested serpent eagle range spread across the Indian Subcontinent, A specialist reptile eater which hunts over forests, often close to wet grassland for snakes and lizards. Mountain serpent eagle,Andaman serpent eagle,South Nicobar serpent eagle and Crested serpent eagle species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family found in India.

Fish Eagle

Pallas’s fish eagle, Grey-headed fish eagle and Lesser fish eagle are the species of fish eagle found in the Indian subcontinent, primarily in the foothills of the Himalayas and northern India.

A specialist fish eater which hunts over lakes, lagoons, large rivers and breeds in the forests of the Indian subcontinent.

Golden Eagle

The Golden Eagle generally found in the Himalayan region of India and one of the best-known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Golden eagle known variously as the Asian golden eagle, Himalayan golden eagle along the Himalayas.

Hawk Eagle

The Changeable hawk-eagle with the scientific name of Nisaetus cirrhatus is one of the bird of prey species which belongs to the family Accipitridae. Hawk-eagles breed in the Indian subcontinent, mainly in India from the southeast rim of the Himalaya lives.

Sea Eagle

The White bellied Sea eagles are found in coastal areas of Indian Sub-Contient, breeds and hunts near water and fish form around half of its diet. The origin of the sea eagles and fishing eagles is probably in the general area of the Bay of Bengal.

Booted Eagle

The booted eagle also known as known as Hieraaetus, breeds across Asia. Along with the little eagle, this bird is one of the closest living relatives of the extinct Haast’s eagle.

Imperial Eagle

The eastern imperial eagle is also distributed in Indian subcontinent and Asia, These eagle inhabit open grassland with small woods in arid region of Rann of Kutch.

Bonelli’s Eagle

The Bonelli’s eagle is one of the large bird of prey spotted at Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary,Sangli district and mostly found in wooded,forest edges, cultivation and scrub.

Snake Eagle

The Short-toed snake eagle is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae and an Old World species spread into parts of Asia, mainly in the Indian Subcontinent. Snake eagle diet and prey is mostly reptiles, mainly snakes, but also some lizards plus rabbit, and rarely birds and large insects.