Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown Snake Eagle
Circaetus cinereus
Brown Snake Eagle (Circaetus cinereus) — Birds of Prey of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Brown Snake Eagle (Circaetus cinereus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 2 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Circaetus
- Species cinereus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2 kg
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Endangered
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown Snake Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Brown Snake Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Brown Snake Eagle (Circaetus cinereus) belongs to the Accipitridae family of the order Accipitriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Senegal and Gambia to Ethiopia and s to South Africa.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2 kg, with a wing length of about 51.8 cm and a tail of around 25.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 11.5 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown Snake Eagle?
The Brown Snake Eagle is a very large bird that weighs around 2 kg.
Where does the Brown Snake Eagle live?
The Brown Snake Eagle is found across Africa with a range covering AF Senegal and Gambia to Ethiopia and s to South Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Brown Snake Eagle belong to?
The Brown Snake Eagle (Circaetus cinereus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Brown Snake Eagle eat?
The Brown Snake Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Brown Snake Eagle migrate?
The Brown Snake Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Brown Snake Eagle endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Brown Snake Eagle make?
1 real field recording of the Brown Snake Eagle — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Brown Snake Eagle's range?
The Brown Snake Eagle has a mapped global range of about 11.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.