Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Legge’s Hawk-Eagle
Nisaetus kelaarti
Legge's Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus kelaarti) — Birds of Prey of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Legge’s Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus kelaarti) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 3 kg.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Nisaetus
- Species kelaarti
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3 kg
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Legge’s Hawk-Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Legge’s Hawk-Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Legge’s Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus kelaarti) is a member of the Accipitridae family, within the order Accipitriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR sw India and Sri Lanka.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 3 kg, with a wing length of about 40.6 cm and a tail of around 28.2 cm.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Legge’s Hawk-Eagle?
The Legge’s Hawk-Eagle is a very large bird that weighs around 3 kg.
Where does the Legge’s Hawk-Eagle live?
The Legge’s Hawk-Eagle is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR sw India and Sri Lanka, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Legge’s Hawk-Eagle belong to?
The Legge’s Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus kelaarti) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Legge’s Hawk-Eagle eat?
The Legge’s Hawk-Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Legge’s Hawk-Eagle migrate?
The Legge’s Hawk-Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
What sound does the Legge’s Hawk-Eagle make?
1 real field recording of the Legge’s Hawk-Eagle can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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Least Concern
Endangered
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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.