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Ornate Hawk-Eagle: the Elegant Eagle
An expert predator with a fashionable hairdo
© Matthew Baldwin
Ornate Hawk-Eagles stand out from other raptors with their impressive crest that looks like an elegant crown in adults, and a punk hairdo over the white-headed and black-bodied juveniles. These birds are excellent hunters, but they’re also devoted parents.
Listen to this episode in Spanish here.
BirdNote®
Ornate Hawk-Eagle: the Elegant Eagle
Written by Lucina Melesio
This is BirdNote.
[Ornate Hawk-Eagle rhythmic call]
Quite a rhythm, huh? It might not be your average call for either a hawk or an eagle…but it’s the distinctive call of the Ornate Hawk-Eagle.
It’s obvious why these birds have such a flashy name: their dark brown plumage, adorned with striking white and chestnut patterns, along with their impressive size, gives them a regal appearance that sets them apart from other raptors. Their impressive crest looks like an elegant crown in adults, and a punk hairdo over the white-headed and black-bodied juveniles.
[Ornate Hawk-Eagle call]
Aside from their looks, they're also skilled hunters: Ornate Hawk-Eagles have been known to capture prey twice their own weight! They hunt Great Currasows, big pheasant-like birds that can weigh more than 10 pounds, while Ornate Hawk-Eagles weigh less than 4 pounds.
These spectacular birds can span their wings to about 4 feet across, and can be seen soaring the morning skies of tropical forests in lowlands and foothills from Southern Mexico to Northern Argentina.
Ornate Hawk-Eagles are also devoted parents, building their nests together high up in the canopy. The female lays one or two eggs. Both parents take turns incubating them and raising the next generation of fashionable raptors.
For BirdNote, I’m Lucina Melesio.
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Senior Producer: John Kessler
Producer: Mark Bramhill
Managing Editor: Jazzi Johnson
Managing Producer: Conor Gearin
Content Director: Jonese Franklin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Ornate Hawk-Eagle ML171947441 recorded by Julio Hernandez, and Ornate Hawk-Eagle ML59188461 recorded by Gregory Budney.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2023 BirdNote October 2023
Narrator: Lucina Melesio
ID# ORHE-01-2023-10-24 ORHE-01
