Congo serpent-eagle

Description

The Congo serpent eagle (Circaetus spectabilis) is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae,and is sometimes placed in the monotypic genus Dryotriorchis by some taxonomic authorities.This species is found in western and central Africa,with its range stretching from Sierra Leone south to Angola and west to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.It occurs in upper and lower Guinean forests,which are dense rainforests.This serpent eagle specializes in hunting in these forests’ dark understories.It has two subspecies,the nominate subspecies Dryotriorchis spectabilis spectabilis and Dryotriorchis spectabilis batesi.Though monotypic,it appears to be very closely related to Circaetus.This hawk is a medium-sized bird with distinctive short,rounded wings and a long,rounded tail.It is varying shades of brown on its back and has a slight crest.Its breast is white with variable amounts of a rufous wash and,in the nominate subspecies,is covered in round,blackish spots.The subspecies D.s.batesi only has these dots on its flanks.The Congo serpent eagle closely resembles Cassin's hawk-eagle,and some ornithologists believe that this likeness is a rare example of avian mimicry.It is a very vocal raptor,and often is one of the most heard species in its habitat.