Photo: Alex Lee / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Crested Eagle
Morphnus guianensis
Crested Eagle (Morphnus guianensis) — Birds of Prey of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Crested Eagle (Morphnus guianensis) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 1.8 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Morphnus
- Species guianensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.8 kg
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Crested Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Crested Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Crested Eagle (Morphnus guianensis) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Guatemala to ne Argentina.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.8 kg, with a wing length of about 46.5 cm and a tail of around 37.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 11.7 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Crested Eagle?
The Crested Eagle is a very large bird that weighs around 1.8 kg.
Where does the Crested Eagle live?
The Crested Eagle is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Guatemala to ne Argentina, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Crested Eagle belong to?
The Crested Eagle (Morphnus guianensis) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Crested Eagle eat?
The Crested Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Crested Eagle migrate?
The Crested Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Crested Eagle endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Crested Eagle make?
1 real field recording of the Crested 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 Crested Eagle's range?
The Crested Eagle has a mapped global range of about 11.7 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.