Little Eagle
英文名：Little Eagle（学名：Hieraaetus morphnoides），是鹰形目鹰科的鸟类。45–55 厘米；翼展可达 1.30 米。雌鸟较大。体格粗壮的小型雕，头宽，脸部图案不明显：头顶黑色，眉纹和颊及后颈短的黑色羽冠；腿长、被羽紧密，尾方形；停栖和飞行时翼上均具浅色带。浅色型：飞行时，翼下具宽阔的浅色斜带，将棕色翼下覆羽与深色三角形次级飞羽分开，并与深色翼尖内侧的白斑相连；方形尾具细密的深色横斑。深色型：深沙褐色或红褐色的翼下覆羽在后缘留下一道具横斑的深色三角形区域，与浅色、具横斑的初级飞羽基部分界。幼鸟：比相应成鸟色更亮，呈皮黄色（浅色型）或棕色（深色型）。单只、成对：飞行平稳，振翅从容缓慢，或快速振翅并水平滑翔。以平展的双翅盘小圈翱翔，“指状”翼尖上翘，尾展开呈方形；头颈明显前伸超出翅前缘；常回头越肩窥视。领域雄鸟以收拢的双翅做高空连续的“钓钩”状炫耀飞行，快速上冲，发出急促的双音节哨声（见鸣声）。比大多数猛禽更常招来喜鹊、燕鵙等围攻。
Little Eagle
45-55 cm; span to 1.30 m. Female larger. Sturdy small eagle with broad head and subtle facial pattern: blackish crown, eyebrow and cheeks and short black crest on nape; long, closely feathered legs and square-cut tail; pale band across upperwing when perched and in flight. Pale Morph: in flight, broad, pale diagonal bar across underwing separates rufous wing linings from dark, triangular secondaries and joins white patch inside dark wingtip; square-cut tail finely barred darker. Dark: dark sandy brown or reddish brown wing linings leave a dark, barred triangle on trailing edge, cut off by pale, barred bases to primaries. Juvenile: brighter buff (pale morph) or brighter rufous (dark morph) than respective adults. Singles, pairs: flies steadily, with easy, slow wingbeats, or quick beats and level glides. Soars in tight circles on flat wings, 'fingertips' upturned, tail fanned and square-cut; head and neck extend well forward of wing; often glances up over shoulder. Territorial males perform high, linked, 'fish-hooks' display on closed wings, with quick upshoots, uttering quick, disyllabic whistle (see Voice). More than most raptors, attracts mobbing magpies, woodswallows, etc.
- Similar Species
- Whistling Kite: flight more floating on drooped wings, 'wrists' well forward with prominent spread 'fingertips'; longer, rounder pale tail; wing pattern differs. Brahminy Kite, juv. Red Goshawk: much finer barred pattern on underside of flight feathers; yellow unfeathered legs with rich rusty 'trousers'.
- Voice
- quick disyllabic or trisyllabic 'pip-it, pip-it', or 'pip-it-it'; piping notes 'kleep kleep kleep'; complaining chitter when mobbed.
- Habitat
- plains, foothills, open forests, woodlands and scrublands; river red gums on watercourses and lakes.
- Breeding
- July-Oct., s. Aust.; April-July, n. Aust.
- Nest
- of sticks; compact; high in leafy tree; may use old nest of other raptor or corvid.
- Eggs
- 1-2 (3); white or bluish-white, blotched and smeared red-brown.
- Range & Status
- mainland Aust.; vagrant Tas. Uncommon. Adults sedentary or part-migratory in autumn-winter; young dispersive.
