Lesser Fish-Eagle

The lesser fish eagle is a medium-sized bird of prey that is primarily gray-brown in colour with broad, blunt wings and coarse featherless legs. They are smaller than the similar Icthyophaga ichthyaetus (grey-headed fish eagle) and may often get confused with the similar species. The lesser fish eagle has a brown breast with white thighs and belly. They have a short, rounded tail with a long neck and a small head. Juvenile lesser fish eagles are similar in appearance to adults, although they have brown eyes whereas an adult has yellow. Adults have a wingspan reaching 1.2 m and can grow to up to 64 centimeters tall.

Distribution and habitat

Their range spans from India and the Kashmir region east to Nepal, China, and Southeast Asia, and through the Malay Peninsula to Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, and the Maluku Island of Buru.

Reproduction

Although incubation and fledging periods are unknown, the breeding season in the lesser fish eagle begins in March and ends in August for those in Northern India and Nepal, but in other areas, may begin in November and end in April. Roughly 2-4 eggs are laid in a clutch and their nests consist of sticks and green leaves. After enough use, the nest may reach 1 m across and up to 1.5 m deep.

Hunting

True to their name, Lesser Fish Eagles eat primarily fish. They hunt along overhanging tree branches or on a rock and snatch their prey from below in the water.

Conservation status

Lesser Fish Eagles are rare throughout their range, and the population is declining due to habitat loss, increasing human disturbance, and persecution in the form of shooting and nest robbery. As they are related to a species in the genus Haliaeetus that is vulnerable to DDE (a breakdown product of pesticide DDT) it is possible that poisoning is also playing a role in their decline. They are currently listed as Near Threatened by BirdLife International.