Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle

The Sulawesi hawk-eagle is a medium-sized, crestless raptor about 64 cm long. Adults are dark brown above, with a strongly marked rufous-brown head and breast and white underparts crossed by dark bars. Juveniles retain dark brown upperparts but have a white head and largely white underparts with some brown streaking or spotting. The species was formerly placed in Spizaetus, and the older name Celebes hawk-eagle still appears in some references (Wikipedia account; BirdForum species account).

Its range covers Sulawesi and the neighbouring islands of Buton, Muna, Banggai and the Sula group. It inhabits rainforest and forest adjoining open areas, hunting both over the canopy and above grassy clearings. Documented prey categories include birds, lizards, snakes and mammals. A published regional account records first-year birds giving a rapid repeated kee call, but the sources opened supplied no dependable nest dimensions, clutch size or incubation period, so those breeding details remain unstated (Naturalis raptor account; BirdForum species account).