Birdsong field guide
Lesser Fish-Eagle
Icthyophaga humilis
A small, specialist raptor of forested rivers characterized by its grey-brown plumage and specialized talons for catching fish.
What it sounds like
A high-pitched, ringing whistle or a series of rapid, screaming 'hak-hak-hak' notes.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- Distinguished from the similar Grey-headed Fish-Eagle by its smaller size and the lack of a white band at the base of the tail.
- Possesses specialized spiny scales, called spiculae, on the undersides of its toes to securely grip slippery, live prey.
- Primarily an ambush hunter, it spends long periods perched silently on overhanging branches rather than soaring for food.
- Listed as Near Threatened due to the degradation of riverine habitats through siltation, pollution, and dam construction.
- Constructs massive stick nests high in forest trees, often returning to the same nesting site for multiple breeding seasons.
Habitat
Fast-flowing rivers and streams within primary evergreen forests, as well as clear lakes.
Range
Found across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, including the Himalayan foothills, Indochina, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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