Lesser Fish Eagle, Icthyophaga humilis

Lesser Fish Eagle

Icthyophaga humilis

29 December 2010

Possible regional races (polytypic), extralimital races are greyed out

I. h. plumbea (Jerdon) 1871
I. h. humilis (Muller,S & Schlegel) 1841

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Lesser Fish Eagle, Icthyophaga humilis plumbea

Distributed along the Himalayan foothills
from Uttarakhand to Arunachal and S. Assam hills

It has a heavy owl-like flight, and appears to depend more on stealth than activity in capturing its prey. It has certainly none of the dexterity of the Osprey, and is altogether a poor performer on the wing for an Eagle that may be said to live entirely on fish (G Reid-1881).

References:
Baker, E.C.S. (1928): Fauna of British India: Birds (Second Edition), v.5, p.117. Published under the authority of the Secretary of State for India in Council
Blanford, WT. (1895): The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Birds v.3, p.371. Edited by W.T. Blanford. Published under the authority of the Secretary of State for India in Council

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