Photo: Joseph Wolf / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Sulawesi Serpent Eagle
Spilornis rufipectus
Sulawesi Serpent Eagle (Spilornis rufipectus) — 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 Sulawesi Serpent Eagle (Spilornis rufipectus) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 705 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 Spilornis
- Species rufipectus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 705 g
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sulawesi Serpent 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 Sulawesi Serpent Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sulawesi Serpent Eagle (Spilornis rufipectus) is a member of the Accipitridae family, within the order Accipitriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Sulawesi.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 705 g, with a wing length of about 32.9 cm and a tail of around 21.4 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 116,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sulawesi Serpent Eagle?
The Sulawesi Serpent Eagle is a large bird that weighs around 705 g.
Where does the Sulawesi Serpent Eagle live?
The Sulawesi Serpent Eagle is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Sulawesi, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Sulawesi Serpent Eagle belong to?
The Sulawesi Serpent Eagle (Spilornis rufipectus) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Sulawesi Serpent Eagle eat?
The Sulawesi Serpent Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Sulawesi Serpent Eagle migrate?
The Sulawesi Serpent Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sulawesi Serpent 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 Sulawesi Serpent Eagle make?
1 real field recording of the Sulawesi Serpent Eagle — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Sulawesi Serpent Eagle's range?
The Sulawesi Serpent Eagle has a mapped global range of about 116,000 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.