Flores hawk-eagle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flores hawk-eagle |
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| Conservation status | |
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Nisaetus
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| Species: |
floris
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The Flores hawk-eagle (Nisaetus floris) is a large bird of prey. It belongs to the Accipitridae family, which includes eagles and hawks. This amazing bird lives only on the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It was once thought to be a type of changeable hawk-eagle. But scientists have found that it is its own unique species. The Flores hawk-eagle lives in forests and hunts other animals. Sadly, it is now considered Critically Endangered. This means it is very close to disappearing forever. The main reasons are that its home is being destroyed and people are hunting it.
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What Does the Flores Hawk-Eagle Look Like?
Adult Flores hawk-eagles have dark brown feathers on their backs. Their tails are brown with six stripes. When they fly, you can see a white patch on their wings. Their bellies are white, and their heads are also white with thin brownish lines. Some older books show them with mostly brown heads, but this is not correct. They also have light dark marks on their upper legs.
A special sign of this eagle is the white patches on the upper side of its main wing feathers. Also, its tail has six stripes, not four or five like some other eagles. For a long time, people thought it was just a type of changeable hawk-eagle. This was partly because young changeable hawk-eagles look a bit like adult Flores hawk-eagles. But unlike the changeable hawk-eagle, young and adult Flores hawk-eagles look very similar. Also, the Flores hawk-eagle does not have a crest of feathers on its head, which some other Nisaetus eagles do.
How Big Are They?
The Flores hawk-eagle is quite a bit larger than the changeable hawk-eagle. It usually measures about 75 to 79 centimeters (29.5 to 31 inches) long. But it can be anywhere from 71 to 82 centimeters (28 to 32 inches) long. Some reports say it can be as small as 60 centimeters (23.5 inches), but this is probably a mistake. These eagles might have been confused with other hawk-eagle species.
Their length makes them similar in size to the mountain hawk-eagle. However, the mountain hawk-eagle seems to have much bigger wings and a heavier body. The Flores hawk-eagle has a more slender body and a long tail, like the changeable hawk-eagle. We don't have exact weights for the Flores hawk-eagle. But one study guessed that it might weigh around 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds). The main part of its wing, called the wing chord, is about 430 to 462 millimeters (17 to 18 inches) long.
Where Does the Flores Hawk-Eagle Live?
The Flores hawk-eagle lives only in Indonesia. It can be found in the forests of Flores, Lombok, and Sumbawa islands. These islands are part of the Lesser Sundas. It mostly lives in lowland areas, but it has been seen as high as 1,600 meters (5,250 feet) up in the mountains.
This eagle needs tropical rainforests to survive. They are often seen flying above the tops of the trees, especially on gentle slopes in the forest. Sometimes, they are seen hunting over farms. But this only happens if the farms are very close to large areas of forest. They use both lowland and mountain forests. This might depend on how much forest is left in an area.
How Does the Flores Hawk-Eagle Live?
Flores hawk-eagles do not migrate; they stay in one area. But young eagles can travel far after they leave their parents. Since they live on different islands, they must be able to fly across narrow stretches of water.
Sounds and Diet
The call of the Flores hawk-eagle is a loud, sharp, and long whistle. We know very little about what these eagles eat. Most of what we guess comes from studying similar eagle species. For example, they likely hunt from a perch, waiting for prey. Their diet probably includes birds, lizards, snakes, and small mammals.
People have seen these eagles hunting snakes. One Flores hawk-eagle was even seen carrying what looked like a rail, a type of bird. There are also reports of them hunting large flying foxes.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
We know very little about how Flores hawk-eagles raise their young. People have seen nests or young eagles in March, April, May, and August. One time, a fallen tree was found with a large young eagle in a nest during August. Based on these few observations, it seems that Flores hawk-eagles might breed during the dry season. We don't know how many eggs they lay, what the eggs look like, how long they sit on the eggs, or how the parents care for their young.
Why Is the Flores Hawk-Eagle Endangered?
The Flores hawk-eagle is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. This is because its small home range is shrinking due to habitat loss. People also capture them to sell as pets, and some kill them because they sometimes hunt chickens. It is likely the rarest eagle species in the world.
Sadly, illegal hunting, called poaching, might still be happening. Hunters may even come from other islands to catch these birds. In the past, in western Flores, the Flores hawk-eagle was seen as a "totem" or "empo." This meant it was considered a human ancestor, and people did not hunt or harm it. However, even then, the destruction of its habitat might have been hurting the species.
Today, people are working to educate local communities. They want to help ensure that people and these predatory birds can live together. Scientists believe there are fewer than 100 pairs of Flores hawk-eagles left. This is based on each pair needing about 40 square kilometers (15.4 square miles) of land. A more exact guess suggests there are about 75 pairs in total. This includes 10 pairs on Lombok, 38 pairs on Sumbawa, and 27 pairs on Flores.
