>>Genus Spizaetus

Genus Spizaetus

Spizaetus
Spizaetus tyrannus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Accipitriformes
Family:	Accipitridae
Genus:	Spizaetus Vieillot, 1816
Species
Spizaetus isidori Spizaetus melanoleucus Spizaetus ornatus Spizaetus tyrannus and see text
Synonyms
Spizastur Lesson, 1839 Oroaetus Des Murs, 1845

Spizaetus is the typical hawk-eagle birds of prey genus found in the tropics of the Americas. It was however used to indicate a group of tropical eagles that included species occurring in southern and southeastern Asia and one representative of this genus in the rainforests of West Africa. The Old World species have been separated into the genus Nisaetus. Several species have a prominent head crest. These are medium to large-sized raptors, most being between 55 and 75 cm (23–30 in) long, and tend to be long-tailed and slender.

The American Ornithologists' Union merges Spizastur into Spizaetus since 2007.

Spizaetus eagles are forest birds with several species having a preference for highland woodlands. They build stick nests in trees. The sexes are similarly plumaged with typical raptor brown upperparts and pale underparts, but young birds are distinguishable from adults, often by a whiter head.

These eagles eat medium sized vertebrate prey such as mammals, birds and reptiles.

The species that were historically placed in this genus are:

New World species retained in Spizaetus

• Black Hawk-Eagle or Tyrant Hawk-eagle, Spizaetus tyrannus
• Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Spizaetus melanoleucus - traditionally Spizastur
• Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Spizaetus ornatus
• Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Spizaetus isidori - traditionally Oroaetus

Old World species now moved to Nisaetus

• Crested Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus cirrhatus (earlier Spizaetus cirrhatus)
• Flores Hawk-Eagle Nisaetus floris (earlier Spizaetus cirrhatus floris or Spizaetus floris)
• Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus nipalensis (earlier Spizaetus nipalensis)
  • The Western Ghats and Sri Lankan race has been suggested as a full species Nisaetus kelaarti.
• Blyth's Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus alboniger (earlier Spizaetus alboniger)
• Javan Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus bartelsi (earlier Spizaetus bartelsi)
• Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus lanceolatus (earlier Spizaetus lanceolatus)
• (Northern) Philippine Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus philippensis (earlier Spizaetus philippensis)
  • Southern Philippine Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus pinskeri (earlier Spizaetus (philippensis) pinskeri)
• Wallace's Hawk-Eagle, Nisaetus nanus (earlier Spizaetus nanus)

Moved to Aquila

• Cassin's Hawk-Eagle, Aquila africana (earlier Spizaetus africanus)