Photo: Nigel Voaden / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pygmy Eagle
Hieraaetus weiskei
Pygmy Eagle (Hieraaetus weiskei) — Birds of Prey of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pygmy Eagle (Hieraaetus weiskei) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 775 g. 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 Hieraaetus
- Species weiskei
Quick facts
- Weight
- 775 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pygmy Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Pygmy Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Pygmy Eagle (Hieraaetus weiskei) is a species of bird in the Accipitridae family, part of the order Accipitriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU n, c Moluccas and New Guinea.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 775 g, with a wing length of about 33.7 cm and a tail of around 17.2 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 666,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pygmy Eagle?
The Pygmy Eagle is a large bird that weighs around 775 g.
Where does the Pygmy Eagle live?
The Pygmy Eagle is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU n, c Moluccas and New Guinea, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Pygmy Eagle belong to?
The Pygmy Eagle (Hieraaetus weiskei) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Pygmy Eagle eat?
The Pygmy Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Pygmy Eagle migrate?
The Pygmy Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Pygmy 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 Pygmy Eagle make?
1 real field recording of the Pygmy 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 Pygmy Eagle's range?
The Pygmy Eagle has a mapped global range of about 666,000 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.