GURNEY'S EAGLE

'Gurney’s Eagle', ''Aquila gurneyi'', is a large eagle in the family ''Accipitridae''.

Contents

Identification

Range

Habitat

Food

Nesting

Conservation

References

External links

Identification

This eagle is mainly dark brown to black colouring, with paler undersides to flight feathers and a rounded tail. Its body length is 74-86 cm; with a wingspan of between 1.7 and 1.9 m. Females are larger than males. Its wings are held level when gliding.

Range

Gurney’s Eagle is found in New Guinea and adjacent islands westwards to the Moluccas. It has been recorded from Saibai and Boigu islands in north-western Torres Strait, thus putting it on the Australian bird list.

Habitat

Rainforest, swamp forest, and adjacent cultivated and coastal areas.

Food

Probably mainly mammals and reptiles.

Nesting

Undescribed.

Conservation

Occurs at low population densities and is likely to be declining slowly through habitat loss and degradation. Considered to be Near Threatened. Listed on CITES Appendix II.

References

★ BirdLife International. (2006). Species factsheet: ''Aquila gurneyi''. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 9/12/2006

★ Coates, B.J. (1985), The Birds of Papua New Guinea, Vol. 1, Non-Passerines. Dove: Alderley, Queensland. ISBN 0-9590257-0-7

★ Morcombe, Michael. (2000). Field Guide to Australian Birds. Steve Parish Publishing: Queensland. ISBN 1-876282-10-X

External links

★ IUCN Red List