Circaetinae

Circaetinae is a bird of prey subfamily which consists of a group of medium to large broad-winged species. These are mainly birds which specialise in feeding on snakes and other reptiles, which is the reason most are referred to as "snake-eagles" or "serpent-eagles". The exceptions are the bateleur, a more generalised hunter, and the Philippine eagle, which preys on mammals and birds.

Snake eagles
Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Dinosauria
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Subfamily: Circaetinae
Genera

See text.

All but one of the subfamily are restricted to warmer parts of the Old World: Spilornis and Pithecophaga in south Asia, the others in Africa. The short-toed eagle Circaetus gallicus migrates between temperate Eurasia and Africa, as well as being resident in India.

They have hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs and powerful talons. They also have extremely keen eyesight to enable them to spot potential prey from a distance.

Species

The following taxonomy is based on the International Ornithological Congress.[1]

ImageGenusLiving Species
Spilornis G.R. Gray, 1840
Pithecophaga Ogilvie-Grant, 1896
Circaetus Vieillot, 1816
Dryotriorchis Shelley, 1874
Terathopius Lesson, 1830
Eutriorchis Sharpe, 1875[note 1]

Notes
  1. Eutriorchis is genetically related to Gypaetus, and so might be classified with the Gypaetinae rather than Circaetinae. Lerner, Heather R. L.; Mindell, David P. (9 May 2006). "Accipitridae". The Tree of Life Web Project.


  1. "Hoatzin, New World vultures, Secretarybird, raptors – IOC World Bird List". Retrieved 2022-08-24.
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