Ichthyophaga

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ichthyophaga
Grey-headed Fish-eagle
Grey-headed Fish-eagle
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Ichthyophaga
Lesson, 1843
Species

Ichthyophaga humilis
Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus

Ichthyophaga is a genus of two species of eagles, closely related to the sea-eagles in the genus Haliaeetus. Both are native to southeastern Asia, from the Indian subcontinent southeast to Sulawesi. They are smaller than the Haliaeetus eagles, though overlapping in size with the smaller species of that genus. Both share similar plumage, with grey heads grading into dull grey-brown wings and bodies, and white belly and legs. They differ in tail colour, with Lesser Fish-eagle having a brown tail, and Grey-headed Fish-eagle having a white tail with a black terminal band, and also in size, with Lesser Fish-eagle only about half of the weight of Grey-headed Fish-eagle.[1]

[edit] Species

[edit] Ecology

As their names suggest, both species feed largely on fish, caught mainly in freshwater on lakes and large rivers, but also occasionally in saltwater in estuaries and along coasts.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & Sargatal, J., eds. (1994). Handbook of the Birds of the World Vol. 2. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona ISBN 84-87334-15-6.
Languages