Tawny Eagle

Aquila rapax

Beak

—

Feet

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Crest

No crest

Widespread resident; unrecorded in the northeast. Compared with Steppe Eagle, hand of wing does not appear so long and broad, tail slightly shorter, and looks smaller and weaker at rest; gape-li neends level with centre of eye (extends to rear of eye in Steppe), and adult has yellowish iris (usually brown in Steppe). Differs from Greater and Indian Spotted in more protruding head and neck in flight, baggy trousers, yellow iris, and oval nostril. Adult extremely variable, from dark brown through rufous to pale cream, and unstreaked or streaked with rufous or dark brown. Dark morph very similar to adult Steppe (which shows much less variation); distinctions include less pronounced barring and dark trailing edge on underwing, dark nape, and dark throat. Aufous to pale cream Tawny uniformly pale from uppertail-coverts to back, with undertail-coverts same colour as belly (contrast often apparent on similar species). Pale adults also lack prominent whitish trailing edge to wing, tip to tail and greater-covert bar (present on immatures of similar species). Characteristic, if present. is distinct pale inner-primary wedge on underwing. Juvenile also variable, with narrow white tips to unbarred secondaries; otherwise as similar-plumaged adult. Immature/sub-adult birds can show dark throat and breast contrasting with pale belly, and dark banding across underwing-coverts; whole head and breast may be dark. Spends much time perched on treetops in cultivation or near village rubbish dumps or slaughterhouses. Feeds on carrion and refuse; also on small mammals, birds and reptiles. mainly stolen from smaller birds of prey, but also captures small mammals by pouncing on them from a small bush. Roosts communally in groves, on the ground on or power pylons. Inhabits desert, semi-desert and cultivation in the lowlands.