10 Most Common Species of Eagles Found in India
Eagles are the largest bird of prey and the Apex predator of forest and skies. There are five different species of flying predators found in India and Eagles are one of them at top position. Here is the list of top 10 most common species of eagles found in India.
Himalayan Golden Eagle
The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos daphanea) is the largest eagle found in India, they are the best birds of prey in the Indian Himalaya so called as Himalayan Golden Eagle. Like some of the eagles, Himalayan golden eagle are also highly regarded birds used in falconry.
Indian Spotted Eagle
Indian Spotted Eagle (Clanga hastata) is also belongs to the family Accipitridae and one of the largest among them with a wingspan of 150 cm. The spotted eagle occurs in agricultural landscapes, deserts of Thar and in different bird sanctuary of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Changeable Hawk Eagle
The changeable hawk-eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus) also known as crested hawk-eagle is a large sizes eagle of India, Commonly found through the Himalayan foothills to northeast India. Crested hawk-eagle is another forest-dwelling predator and hunts on small birds, mammals or reptiles.
Crested Serpent Eagle
The crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela) is another large species of eagle found in the jungles of India. Serpent eagle always found in forested habitats across India and hunts over the forests, close to wet grassland on snakes and lizards.
Tawny Eagle
The tawny eagle (Aquila rapax) is a large species of eagles found in Indian Sub-Continent, Tawny Eagles prey upon mostly on the reptiles, bird over dry habitats such as semideserts, deserts, hence a blackish brown individuals occur in India.
Steppe Eagle
The steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis) is a large bird of prey and a specialized predator of ground squirrels, small mammals and birds. Like all eagles, The steppe eagle is also one of the most common species of eagle that found near the water bodies.
Black Eagle
The black eagle (Ictinaetus malaiensis) is the only member of the genus and a very rare species of eagle with almost entirely black plumage, long wings and tail. Black eagle soar over forests in the hilly regions of India and eats mammals including bats, tree squirrels and other small mammals.
Bonelli’s Eagle
Bonelli’s eagle (Aquila fasciata) is a large bird of prey that breeds from Africa to thar desert and across the Indian Subcontinent to Indonesia. The partially opportunistic but a specialist predator of birds and mammals, especially rabbits and pigeons.
Booted Eagle
The booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) is very much similar to steppe eagle in appearance but a medium-sized migratory bird of prey. Booted eagles typically hunts on the wing and known as one of the migratory species of eagles.
Eastern Imperial Eagle
The eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) are migratory and found mostly in Little Rann of Kutch of Gujarat in the Indian subcontinent. Little Rann of Kutch is the best place to see all different types of raptors and eagles in India along with Thar Desert of Rajasthan.
There are few more species and sub species of eagles found in India such as short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus),Pallas Fish-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus), lesser fish eagle (Icthyophaga humilis) and white-bellied sea eagle (Icthyophaga leucogaster).
