Pinsker's Hawk-Eagle
Nisaetus pinskeri
A fairly large raptor of lowland and foothill forest in the southern Philippines. Dark brown above and whitish below with a streaked head and chest and a finely barred lower belly. Note the long hind crest and the chin stripe. In flight, shows barred wings and a fairly long tail both with a dark terminal band. Juveniles much paler. Remarkably similar to Philippine Honey-Buzzard, but head doesn’t project as far forward from the wings. Voice is a fairly high, screeching “week wik!”
Identification
It is most closely related to the Philippine hawk-eagle (Nisaetus philipensis) with some taxonomists still considering it a subspecies, and Changeable hawk-eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus) and hawk eagle species which is commonly distributed in Southeast Asia. EBird describes the bird as "A fairly large raptor of lowland and foothill forest in the southern Philippines. Dark brown above and whitish below with a streaked head and chest and a finely barred lower belly. Note the long hind crest and the chin stripe. In flight, shows barred wings and a fairly long tail both with a dark terminal band. Juveniles much paler. Remarkably similar to Philippine Honey-Buzzard, but head doesn’t project as far forward from the wings. Voice is a fairly high, screeching “week wik!”."
Taxonomy
Genus: Nisaetus; Family: Accipitridae; Order: Accipitriformes.
- Scientific name
- Nisaetus pinskeri
- Authority
- (Preleuthner & Gamauf, 1998)
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Genus
- Nisaetus
Range and habitat
Its natural habitat is tropical moist highland forests approximately above 1200 meters above sea level.It is threatened by habitat loss. Pinsker's hawk-eagle shares with Changeable hawk-eagles in terms of forest habitat. However, as endemic species it occupies the interior forest and high elevations compared with the most commonly distributed N. cirrhatus. This case is also similar with the situation of the Javan hawk-eagle (Nisaetus bartelsi) and endemic hawk eagle in Java Indonesia whereby the endemic species similarly occupies the interior and more elevated forest.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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Small, inconspicuous flycatcher found in the understory of coastal and gallery forests as well as mangroves. Key field marks are longish tail, whitish lores, stout bill, and (at close range) pale eyes. Forages low and occasionally forages on the ground; tumbles through vegetation in pursuit of insects. Quite vocal; calls include a slow series of descending whistles, loud for the bird’s size, and stuttering contact calls, both of which are distinctive once learned.
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Least Pygmy-Owl
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Very small rufous owl with white spots flecked on rich brown head, a white belly streaked with rufous and white spots on the back. Similar to Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, which has a streaked rather than spotted head and a longer tail. Found in the canopy of humid forest and forest edges. The song is a series of two-three high-pitched whistles.
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