Friday, March 9, 2012

>Aquila gurneyi (Gurney's Eagle)

Gurney's Eagle



Gurney's Eagle
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Falconiformes
(or Accipitriformes, q.v.)
Family:Accipitridae
Genus:Aquila
Species:A. gurneyi
Binomial name
Aquila gurneyi
Gray, 1860
Gurney's EagleAquila gurneyi, is a large eagle in the family Accipitridae. It is found on New Guinea and adjacent smaller islands.

Description

This eagle is a fairly large species, though mid-sized as a member of the Aquila genus. It is mainly dark brown to black, with paler undersides to its flight feathers and a rounded tail. Its body length is 74–86 cm (29–34 in) with a wingspan of between 1.65 and 1.9 m (5.4 and 6.2 ft). One immature bird reportedly weighed 3.06 kg (6.7 lb). Females are larger than males. Its wings are held level when gliding. It feeds on mammals such as cuscuses.

Range and habitat

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 theAustralian bird list. it inhabits rainforest, swamp forest, and adjacent cultivated and coastal areas.

Conservation

Gurney's Eagle 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.

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