Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 61 species occur in Eurasia and Africa.^[1] Outside this area, just two species (the Bald and Golden Eagles) can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in Central and South America, and three in Australia.

Description

Eagles are large, powerfully built birds of prey, with a heavy head and beak. Even the smallest eagles, like the Booted Eagle (which is comparable in size to a Common Buzzard or Red-tailed Hawk), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight. (Despite reduced size in aerodynamic feathers) Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from some vultures. Species named as eagles range in size from the South Nicobar Serpent Eagle, at 450 g (1 lb) and 40 cm (16 in), to the 6.7 kg (14.7 lbs) Steller's Sea Eagle and the 100 cm (39 in) Philippine Eagle. Like all birds of prey, eagles have very large hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong muscular legs, and powerful talons. The beak is typically heavier than most other birds of prey. They also have extremely keen eyesight (up to 3.6 times human acuity for the martial eagle) which enables them to spot potential prey from a very long distance.^[2] This keen eyesight is primarily contributed by their extremely large pupils which ensure minimal diffraction (scattering) of the incoming light. The female of all species of eagle known are larger than the male.^[3][4]

Eagles normally build their nests, called eyries, in tall trees or on high cliffs. Many species lay two eggs, but the older, larger chick frequently kills its younger sibling once it has hatched. The dominant chick tends to be the female, as they are bigger than the male. The parents take no action to stop the killing.^[5][6]

Among the eagles are some of the largest birds of prey: only the condors and some of the Old World vultures are larger. Four species — Steller's Sea Eagle of eastern Asia, Harpy Eagle of South and Central America, Philippine Eagle and the Wedge-tailed Eagle of Australia — can reach a metre in length. All four can have a wingspan exceeding two metres, as can the Martial Eagle of Africa, most species in the genus Haliaeetus and several in the genus Aquila.^[7] However the measurements for all four species differ. The wingspan of both the harpy eagle and philippine eagle rarely exceed two metres as it increases manoeuvrability through the forest which they inhabit and the wedge tailed eagle is relatively lightweight, with an average mass of 3466 g (7.63 lb). The Harpy Eagle and Wedge-tailed Eagle are also shorter, measuring 89–100 cm and 80–104 cm respectively.^{[citation needed]} Steller's Sea Eagle usually ranges between 85–94 cm (33–37 in).^{[citation needed]}

Species

Martial Eagle in Namibia

Thermographic image of an eagle, thermoregulating using its wings

Philippine Eagle, Pithecophaga jefferyi in Southern Philippines

Wedge Tailed Eagle in Australia

Major new research into eagle taxonomy suggests that the important genera Aquila and Hieraaetus are not composed of nearest relatives, and it is likely that a reclassification of these genera will soon take place, with some species being moved to Lophaetus or Ictinaetus.^[8]

• Bonelli's Eagle, and the Booted Eagle have been moved from Hieraaetus to Aquila.
• Either the Greater Spotted Eagle and Lesser Spotted Eagle should move from Aquila to join the Long-crested Eagle in Lophaetus, or, perhaps better, all three of these species should move to Ictinaetus with the Black Eagle.
• The Steppe Eagle and Tawny Eagle, once thought to be conspecific, are not even each other's nearest relatives.

FAMILY Accipitridae

• Subfamily Buteoninae – hawks (buzzards), true eagles and seaeagles
  • Genus Geranoaetus
    • Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Geranoaetus melanoleucus
  • Genus Harpyhaliaetus
    • Crowned Solitary Eagle, Harpyhaliaetus coronatus
    • Montane Solitary Eagle, H. solitarius
  • Genus Morphnus
    • Crested Eagle, Morphnus guianensis
  • Genus Harpia
    • Harpy Eagle, Harpia harpyja
  • Genus Pithecophaga
    • Philippine Eagle, Pithecophaga jefferyi
  • Genus Harpyopsis
    • Papuan Eagle, Harpyopsis novaeguineae
  • Genus Oroaetus
    • Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Oroaetus isidori
  • Genus Spizaetus
    • Cassin's Hawk-Eagle, Spizaetus africanus
    • Crested Hawk-Eagle, S. cirrhatus
    • Mountain Hawk-Eagle, S. nipalensis
    • Blyth's Hawk-Eagle, S. alboniger
    • Javan Hawk-Eagle, S. bartelsi
    • Sulawesi Hawk-Eagle, S. lanceolatus
    • Philippine Hawk-Eagle, S. philippensis
    • Wallace's Hawk-Eagle, S. nanus
    • Black Hawk-Eagle, S. tyrannus
    • Ornate Hawk-Eagle, S. ornatus
    • Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, S. melanoleucus
  • Genus Lophaetus
    • Long-crested Eagle, Lophaetus occipitalis – possibly belongs in Ictinaetus
  • Genus Stephanoaetus
    • Crowned Eagle, Stephanoaetus coronatus
  • Genus Polemaetus
    • Martial Eagle, Polemaetus bellicosus
  • Genus Hieraaetus
    • Ayres' Hawk-eagle, Hieraaetus ayresii
    • African Hawk-Eagle, H. spilogaster
    • Little Eagle, H. morphnoides
      • Pygmy Eagle, H. m. weiskei
  • Genus Harpagornis (extinct)
    • Haast's Eagle, †Harpagornis moorei – possibly belongs in either Hieraaetus or Aquila^[9]
  • Genus Lophotriorchis
    • Rufous-bellied Hawk-Eagle, L. kienerii

A Steppe Eagle in Lahore Zoo, Pakistan

• • Genus Aquila
    • Bonelli's Eagle, Aquila fasciata – formerly Hieraaetus fasciatus
    • Booted Eagle, A. pennata – formerly Hieraaetus pennatus
    • Golden Eagle, A. chrysaetos
    • Eastern Imperial Eagle, A. heliaca
    • Spanish Imperial Eagle A. adalberti
    • Steppe Eagle, A. nipalensis
    • Tawny Eagle, A. rapax
    • Greater Spotted Eagle, A. clanga – to be moved to Lophaetus or Ictinaetus
    • Lesser Spotted Eagle, A. pomarina – to be moved to Lophaetus or Ictinaetus
    • Indian Spotted Eagle, A. hastata – to be moved to Lophaetus or Ictinaetus
    • Verreaux's Eagle, A. verreauxii
    • Gurney's Eagle, A. gurneyi
    • Wahlberg's Eagle, A. wahlbergi
    • Wedge-tailed Eagle, A. audax
  • Genus Ictinaetus
    • Black Eagle, Ictinaetus malayensis
  • Genus Haliaeetus
    • White-tailed Eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla
    • Bald Eagle, H. leucocephalus
    • Steller's Sea Eagle, H. pelagicus
    • African Fish Eagle, H. vocifer
    • White-bellied Sea Eagle, H. leucogaster
    • Sanford's Sea Eagle, H. sanfordi
    • Madagascar Fish Eagle, H. vociferoides
    • Pallas' Sea Eagle, H. leucoryphus
  • Genus Ichthyophaga
    • Lesser Fish Eagle, Ichthyophaga humilis
    • Grey-headed Fish Eagle, I. ichthyaetus

Short-toed Snake Eagle in flight

• Subfamily Circaetinae: snake-eagles
  • Genus Terathopius
    • Bateleur, Terathopius ecaudatus
  • Genus Circaetus
    • Short-toed Snake Eagle, Circaetus gallicus
    • Black-chested Snake Eagle, C. pectoralis
    • Brown Snake Eagle, C. cinereus
    • Fasciated Snake Eagle, C. fasciolatus
    • Western Banded Snake Eagle, C. cinerascens
  • Genus Spilornis
    • Crested Serpent Eagle, Spilornis cheela
      • Central Nicobar Serpent Eagle, S. minimus (subspecies or species)
    • Great Nicobar Serpent Eagle, S. klossi
    • Mountain Serpent Eagle, S. kinabaluensis
    • Sulawesi Serpent Eagle, S. rufipectus
    • Philippine Serpent Eagle, S. holospilus
    • Andaman Serpent Eagle, S. elgini
  • Genus Eutriorchis
    • Madagascar Serpent Eagle, Eutriorchis astur

Eagles in culture

The modern English name of the bird is derived from the Latin term aquila by way of the French aigle. The Latin aquila may derive from the word aquilus, meaning dark-colored, swarthy, or blackish, as a description of the eagle's plumage; or from aquilo, the Latin version of Greek boreas, or north wind; however, aquilus and aquilo may just as well derive from aquila (or be unrelated) and the latter be of unknown origin.

Old English used the term earn, related to Scandinavia's ørn / örn. The etymology of this word relates it to Greek ornís, meaning "bird", though other Indo-European languages (such as Welsh eryr or Russian orël / орёл) show that the meaning 'eagle' is older. The Greek word may be an old diminutive. The Albanian word for eagle is "shqiponje" deriving from the root "shqipe", which means "eagle".

In Britain before 1678, eagle referred specifically to the Golden Eagle, with the other native species, the White-tailed Eagle, being known as the Erne. The modern name "Golden Eagle" for aquila chrysaetos was introduced by the naturalist John Ray.

Religion

Garuda, the Vahana of Lord Vishnu, depicted with an eagle's beak and wings.

The Moche people of ancient Peru worshiped the animal and often depicted eagles in their art.^[10]

Despite modern and historic Native American practices of giving eagle feathers to non-indigenous people and also members of other tribes who have been deemed worthy, current United States eagle feather law stipulates that only individuals of certifiable Native American ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers for religious or spiritual reasons.^[11] In Canada, poaching of eagle feathers for the booming U.S. market has sometimes resulted in the arrests of First Nations person for the crime.^[12]

In Hindu religion, Garuda is a lesser Hindu divinity, usually the mount (vahanam) of Vishnu. Garuda is depicted as having the golden body of a strong man with a white face, red wings, and an eagle's beak and with a crown on his head. This ancient deity was said to be massive, large enough to block out the sun.

The eagle is also the patron animal of Zeus. In particular, Zeus was said to have taken the form of an eagle in order to abduct Ganymede, and there are numerous artistic depictions of the Eagle Zeus bearing Ganymede aloft, from Classical times up to the present (see illustrations in the Ganymede (mythology) page.)

Eagles as national symbols

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The coat of arms of Mexico - a golden eagle perched upon a cactus eating a snake

The coat of arms of Austria - a black eagle holding a hammer and a sickle, with a broken chain between its legs.

Eagles have been used by many nations as a national symbol.

• The coat of arms of the Seljukian Empire has a double-headed eagle
• The coat of arms of Albania has a black double-headed eagle. Furthermore the eagle gives Albania its name ( in Albanian Shqiperia meaning Land of the eagles) and Albanians call themselves shqipetar or shqipe meaning eagles.
• The coat of arms of Armenia has a gold eagle and lion.
• The coat of arms of Austria has a black eagle.
• The coat of arms of the Czech Republic integrates the symbols of Moravia and Silesia (both with female eagles in their emblems – red-and-white chequered and black respectively) on the coat of arms of the Czech Republic with Bohemia's lion.
• The coat of arms of Egypt is a golden eagle looking towards the viewer's left. It is taking from the golden Eagle of Saladin founded on Saladin Citadel of Cairo.
• The coat of arms of Germany has a black eagle.
• The coat of arms of Ghana has two golden eagles holding it.
• The coat of arms of Iceland has an eagle holding it, as well as a dragon, a bull and a giant.
• The coat of arms of Indonesia has an eagle-like garuda carrying a shield on its neck and a banner on its feet.
• The coat of arms of Iraq has the golden Eagle of Saladin
• The coat of arms of Mexico has a golden eagle perched upon a cactus devouring a snake.
• The coat of arms of Moldova consists of a stylized eagle holding a cross in its beak and a sceptre and a branch in its claws.
• The coat of arms of Montenegro represents the two-headed eagle in flight.
• The coat of arms of Navarre/Basque Country Kingdom has a black eagle.
• The coat of arms of Nigeria has a red eagle on top.
• The coat of arms of Panama has a harpy eagle
• The coat of arms of the Philippines has the bald eagle of the United States as a symbol of its colonial past, but the Monkey-eating Eagle is the de jure National Bird of the country.
• The coat of arms of Poland has a white eagle with a golden beak and talons wearing a golden crown.
• The coat of arms of Romania has a golden aquila holding a cross in its beak and a mace and a sword in its claws.
• The coat of arms of Russia has a gold double-headed eagle.
• The coat of arms of Serbia has a white bicephalic eagle of the House of Nemanjić.
• The coat of arms of Syria formerly had the eagle of Saladin.
• The Great Seal of the United States has a bald eagle.
• The coat of arms of Yemen depicts a golden eagle with a scroll between its claws.
• The coat of arms of Zambia has a orange red eagle on top
• The coat of arms of Ghana has two eagles.
• The Polish and the Serbian eagles are distinguished by their white color.

Historic uses:

• The Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt used it as their seal.
• Napoleon I used the Roman Golden Eagle as the symbol of his new French empire.
• Persian Empire: the symbol of Persian Army was an Eagle.
• The Romans used it on the standards of their armies. From this derives:
  • The late Byzantine Empire chose a two-headed golden eagle as its symbol. It is popularly that one head symbolised ancient Rome, and the other head symbolized "new Rome" at Constantinople. From this derives:
    • The two-headed eagle is the emblem of "Shqipëria" or Land of the Eagles, which is known in English as Albania (see The Tale of the Eagle for the legendary origin of the name)
    • After the fall of Constantinople, the Russian Empire took the two-headed eagle as its own symbol.
  • After his crowning as the new Roman Emperor, Charlemagne adopted the ancient Roman eagle as his own symbol. The Holy Roman Empire born of his kingdom took the eagle, but the Habsburgs replaced the golden eagle by an imperial eagle. From this derives:
    • The Austrian Empire had a two-headed eagle as its symbol. After the abolition of Austria-Hungary, Austria took as its symbol a one-headed eagle in the modern coat of arms of Austria.
    • Prussia, and later Germany have used a black eagle as their national symbol.
    • The Spanish Catholic monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinand, used the eagle as a part of the royal shield representing Saint John the Evangelist. The eagle was again on the Spanish shield under the Francoist regime and the transition to Democracy (1939–1981).
• The Seljuk Turks and Ottoman Turks used a double-headed eagle as coats-of-arms.

References

Further reading

• Bruguier, Leonard. A Warrior's Eagle Feather^{[dead link]}
• Collinson, Martin. Splitting headaches? Recent taxonomic changes affecting the British and Western Palaearctic lists British Birds vol 99 (June 2006), 306–323

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (June 2011)

This Falconiformes article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Kites are raptors with long wings and weak legs that spend most of the time soaring. Most feed mainly on carrion but some take various amounts of live prey.

They are birds of prey which, along with hawks and eagles, are from the family Accipitridae.

Species list

• Subfamily Elaninae
  • Genus Elanus
    • Black-winged Kite, Elanus caeruleus
    • Black-shouldered Kite, Elanus axillaris
    • White-tailed Kite, Elanus leucurus
    • Letter-winged Kite, Elanus scriptus
  • Genus Chelictinia
    • Scissor-tailed Kite, Chelictinia riocourii
  • Genus Machaerhamphus
    • Bat Hawk, Machaerhamphus alcinus
  • Genus Gampsonyx
    • Pearl Kite, Gampsonyx swainsonii
  • Genus Elanoides
    • Swallow-tailed Kite, Elanoides forficatus
• Subfamily Milvinae
  • Genus Harpagus
    • Double-toothed Kite, Harpagus bidentatus
    • Rufous-thighed Kite, Harpagus diodon
  • Genus Ictinia
    • Mississippi Kite, Ictinia mississippiensis
    • Plumbeous Kite, Ictinia plumbea
  • Genus Rostrhamus
    • Snail Kite, Rostrhamus sociabilis
  • Genus Helicolestes
    • Slender-billed Kite, Helicolestes hamatus - formerly in Rostrhamus
  • Genus Haliastur
    • Whistling Kite, Haliastur sphenurus
    • Brahminy Kite, Haliastur indus
  • Genus Milvus
    • Red Kite, Milvus milvus
      • Cape Verde Kite, Milvus (milvus) fasciicauda - extinct (2000)
    • Black Kite, Milvus migrans
    • Black-eared Kite, Milvus (migrans) lineatus
    • Yellow-billed Kite, Milvus (migrans) aegyptius
  • Genus Lophoictinia
    • Square-tailed Kite, Lophoictinia isura
  • Genus Hamirostra
    • Black-breasted Buzzard, Hamirostra melanosternon

A few of the Perninae are also called kites.

• Grey-headed Kite, Leptodon cayanensis
• White-collared Kite, Leptodon forbesi
• Hook-billed Kite, Chondrohierax uncinatus

Life

The Accipitridae, one of the two major families within the order Accipitriformes (the diurnal birds of prey), are a family of small to large birds with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-sized mammals, with a number feeding on carrion and a few feeding on fruit. The Accipitridae have a cosmopolitan distribution, being found on all the world's continents (except Antarctica) and a number of oceanic island groups. Some species are migratory.

Many well-known birds, such as hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures are included in this group. The Osprey is usually placed in a separate family (Pandionidae), as is the Secretary bird (Sagittariidae), and the New World vultures are also usually now regarded as a separate family or order. Karyotype data^[1] indicated that the accipitrids hitherto analysed are indeed a distinct monophyletic group, but whether this group should be considered a family of the Falconiformes or one or several order(s) on their own is a matter of taste.

Systematics

The accipitrids have been variously divided into some 5–10 subfamilies. Most share a very similar morphology, but many of these groups contain taxa which are more aberrant. These are placed in their respective position more for lack of better evidence than anything else. It is thus not very surprising that the phylogenetic layout of the accipitrids has always been a matter of dispute.

As mentioned above, the accipitrids are recognisable by a peculiar rearrangement of their chromosomes. Apart from this, morphology and mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data gives a confusing picture of these birds' interrelationships. What can be said is that the hawks, kites, eagles and Old World vultures as presently assigned in all likelihood do not form monophyletic groups:

According to the molecular data, the Buteoninae are most likely poly- or paraphyletic, with the true eagles, the sea eagles, and the buteonine hawks apparently representing distinct lineages. These appear to form a group with the Milvinae, Accipitrinae and Circinae but the exact relationships between the lineages are not at all robustly resolvable with the present data. The Perninae and possibly the Elaninae are older lineages, as are the Old World vultures. The latter are fairly likely also poly- or paraphyletic, with some aberrant species like the Bearded and Egyptian Vultures standing apart from the naked-necked "(not so)true" vultures.^[2]

Morphology

Portrait of a Bald Eagle showing its strongly hooked beak and the cere covering the base of the beak.

The Accipitridae are a diverse family with a great deal of variation in size and shape. They range in size from the tiny Pearl Kite and Little Sparrowhawk, both of which are 23 cm in length and weigh about 85 g, to the Cinereous Vulture, which measures 108 cm and weighs 10 kg. Until the 14th century even these were surpassed by the extinct Haast's Eagle of New Zealand, which is estimated to have weighed 14 kg.^[3] Most Accipitridae exhibit sexual dimorphism in size, although unusually for birds it is the females that are larger than the males.^[4] This sexual difference in size is more pronounced in active species that hunt birds, and is less pronounced in rodent hunters, and almost non-existent in carrion or snail eaters.

The beaks of accipitrids are strong, hooked (sometimes very hooked, as in the Hook-billed Kite or Snail Kite). In some species there is a notch or 'tooth' in the upper mandible. In all accipitrids the base of the upper mandible is covered by a fleshy membrane called the cere which is usually yellow in colour. The tarsi of different species vary by diet, those of bird hunting species like sparrowhawks are long and thin, while species that hunt large mammals have much thicker, stronger ones, and snake-eagle have thick scales to protect from bites.

The plumage the Accipitridae can be striking but rarely utilises bright colours; most birds use combinations of grey, buff and brown.^[5] Overall they tend to be paler below, which helps them seem less conspicuous when seen from below. There is seldom sexual dimorphism in plumage, when it occurs the males are brighter or the females resemble juveniles. In many species juveniles have a distinctly different plumage. Some accipitrids mimic the plumage patterns of other hawks and eagles. They may attempt to resemble a less dangerous species to fool prey, or instead resemble a more dangerous species in order to reduce mobbing by other birds.^[6] Several species of accipitrid have crests used in signalling, and even species without crests can raise the feathers of the crown when alarmed or excited. In contrast most of the Old World vultures possess bare heads without feathers; this is thought to prevent soiling on the feathers and aid in thermoregulation.^[7]

The senses of the Accipitridae are adapted to hunting (or scavenging), and in particular their vision is legendary. The sight of some hawks and eagles is up to 8 times better than that of humans. Large eyes with two fovea provide binocular vision and a "hawk eye" for movement and distance judging. In addition have the largest pectens of any birds. The eyes are tube shaped and cannot move much in their sockets. In addition to excellent vision many species have excellent hearing, but unlike in owls sight is generally the principal sense used for hunting. Hearing may be used to locate prey hidden in vegetation, but sight is still used to catch the prey. Like most birds the Accipitridae generally have a poor sense of smell; even the Old World vultures make no use of the sense, in contrast to the New World vultures in the family Cathartidae.

Diet and feeding

The Palm-nut Vulture is an unusual frugivorous accipitrid , but will also consume fish, particularly dead fish.

Shikra Accipiter badius in Hyderabad, India.

Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus

Accipitrids are predominately predators and most species actively hunt for their prey. A few species may opportunistically feed on fruit and in one species, the Palm-nut Vulture, it forms the major part of the diet.^[8] However other animals form the bulk of the diet of most species. Insects are taken exclusively by around 12 species, in great numbers by 44 additional species, and opportunistically by many others.^[5] The diet of the honey-buzzards includes not only the adults and young of social insects such as wasps and bees, but the honey and combs from their nests.^[9] The Snail Kite and Hook-billed Kites are specialists in consuming snails. Bazas and forest hawks in the genus Accipiter may take reptiles from trees whilst other species hunt them on the ground. Snakes in particular are targeted by the snake-eagles (Circaetus) and serpent-eagles (Spilornis and Dryotriorchis).^[5]

Genera

• Subfamily Elaninae - elanid kites (8 species)
  • Genus Elanus
  • Genus Chelictinia
  • Genus Gampsonyx
  • Genus Elanoides
• Subfamily Perninae - honey-buzzards (c.14 species)
  • Genus Aviceda
  • Genus Henicopernis
  • Genus Pernis
  • Genus Leptodon
  • Genus Chondrohierax
  • Genus Machaerhamphus (Doubtfully placed^[10])
• Subfamily Aegypiinae - Old World vultures
  • Genus Sarcogyps
  • Genus Aegypius
  • Genus Torgos
  • Genus Trigonoceps
  • Genus Gyps
  • Genus Necrosyrtes
• Subfamily Gypaetinae^[10]
  • Genus Neophron
  • Genus Gypohierax
  • Genus Gypaetus
  • Genus Eutriorchis^[10]
• Subfamily Buteoninae - buteonine hawks, true eagles and sea-eagles (c.100 living species, probably poly- or paraphyletic)
  • Genus Geranoaetus
  • Genus Buteo (probably paraphyletic, might include Leucopternis in part and Parabuteo)
  • Genus Parabuteo
  • Genus Buteogallus (probably paraphyletic, might include Leucopternis in part)
  • Genus Busarellus
  • Genus Leucopternis (probably polyphyletic)
  • Genus Kaupifalco
  • Genus Butastur
  • Genus Harpyhaliaetus
  • Genus Geranospiza
• Subfamily Aquilinae^[10]
  • Genus Spizaetus
  • Genus Nisaetus
  • Genus Lophaetus (possibly junior synonym of Ictinaetus)
  • Genus Stephanoaetus
  • Genus Polemaetus
  • Genus "Hieraaetus"
  • Genus Aquila (paraphyletic)
  • Genus Ictinaetus
• Subfamily Circinae - harriers (some 16 living species)
  • Genus Circus
• Subfamily Polyboroidinae - harrier hawks
  • Genus Polyboroides^[10]
• Subfamily Milvinae - milvine kites (some 14 species)
  • Genus Harpagus
  • Genus Ictinia
  • Genus Rostrhamus
  • Genus Helicolestes - formerly included in Rostrhamus
  • Genus Haliastur
  • Genus Milvus
  • Genus Lophoictinia
  • Genus Hamirostra
• Subfamily Accipitrinae - goshawks, sparrowhawks, and relatives (c.55 living species)
  • Genus Accipiter
  • Genus Urotriorchis
  • Genus Erythrotriorchis
  • Genus Megatriorchis
• Subfamily Circaetinae - snake-eagles (about one dozen species)
  • Genus Terathopius
  • Genus Circaetus
  • Genus Spilornis
  • Genus Pithecophaga^[10]
• Subfamily Haliaeetinae^[10]
  • Genus Haliaeetus
  • Genus Ichthyophaga
• Subfamily Harpiinae^[10]
  • Genus Morphnus
  • Genus Harpia
  • Genus Harpyopsis
• Subfamily Melieraxinae^[10]
  • Genus Melierax (Micronisus)

Fossil record

Neophrontops americanus fossil

Neogyps errans fossil

Like with most other birds of prey, the fossil record of this group is fairly decent from the latter Eocene onwards (c.35 mya), with modern genera being well documented since the Early Oligocene, or around 30 mya.

• Milvoides (Late Eocene of England)
• Aquilavus (Late Eocene/Early Oligocene - Early Miocene of France)
• Palaeocircus (Late Eocene/Early Oligocene of France)
• Palaeastur (Agate Fossil Beds Early Miocene of Sioux County, USA)
• Pengana (Early Miocene of Riversleigh, Australia)
• Promilio (Agate Fossil Beds Early Miocene of Sioux County, USA)
• Proictinia (Early - Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of C and SE USA)
• Neophrontops (Early/middle Miocene - Late Pleistocene) - formerly in Neophron
• Mioaegypius (Xiacaowan middle Miocene of Sihong, China)
• Apatosagittarius (Late Miocene of Nebraska, USA)
• Gansugyps (Liushu Late Miocene of China)
• Palaeoborus (Miocene)
• Qiluornis (Miocene of Shandong, China)
• Thegornis (Miocene of Argentina)
• Garganoaetus (Early Pliocene of Gargano Peninsula, Italy)
• Amplibuteo (Late Pliocene of Peru - Late Pleistocene of S North America and Cuba) - may belong to extant genus Harpyhaliaetus
• Neogyps
• Palaeohierax - includes "Aquila" gervaisii
• Wetmoregyps - formerly Morphnus daggetti

Accipitrids are known since Early Eocene times, or about from 50 mya onwards, in fact, but these early remains are too fragmentary and/or basal to properly assign a place in the phylogeny. Likewise, as remarked above, molecular methods are of limited value in determining evolutionary relationships of and within the accipitrids. What can be determined is that in all probability, the group originated on either side of the Atlantic, which during that time was only 60-80% its present width. On the other hand, as evidenced by fossils like Pengana, some 25 mya, accipitrids in all likelihood rapidly acquired a global distribution - initially probably even extending to Antarctica.

• Accipitridae gen. et sp. indet. (Huerfano Early Eocene of Huerfano County, USA)^[11]
• Accipitridae gen. et sp. indet. (Borgloon Early Oligocene of Hoogbutsel, Belgium)^[12]
• Accipitridae gen. et sp. indet. (Bathans Early/Middle Miocene of Otago, New Zealand)^[13]
• Accipitridae gen. et sp. indet. MPEF-PV-2523 (Puerto Madryn Late Miocene of Estancia La Pastosa, Argentina)
• "Aquila" danana (Snake Creek Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Loup Fork, USA) - formerly also Geranoaetus or Buteo
• Accipitridae gen. et sp. indet. (Early/Middle Pliocene of Kern County, USA) - Parabuteo?^[14]
• Accipitridae gen. et sp. indet. (Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene of Ibiza, Mediterranean) - Buteo?^[15]
• Accipitridae gen. et sp. indet. (Egypt)

Specimen AMNH FR 2941, a left coracoid from the Late Eocene Irdin Manha Formation of Chimney Butte (Inner Mongolia) was initially assessed as a basal mid-sized "buteonine";^[16] it is today considered to be more likely to belong in the Gruiformes genus Eogrus.^[17] The Early Oligocene genus Cruschedula was formerly thought to belong to Spheniscidae, however reexamination of the holotype in 1943 resulted in the genus being placed in Accipitridae.^[18] Further examination in 1980 resulted in placement as Aves incertae sedis.^[19]

Footnotes

References

• Alcover, Josep Antoni (1989): Les Aus fòssils de la Cova de Ca Na Reia ["The fossil birds of Ca Na Reia cave"]. Endins 14-15: 95-100. [Catalan with English abstract]
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• American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) (2007): AMNH FR 2941 specimen information. Retrieved 2008-APR-22.
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• Worthy, Trevor H.; Tennyson, A.J.D.; Jones, C.; McNamara, J.A. & Douglas, B.J. (2007): Miocene waterfowl and other birds from central Otago, New Zealand. J. Syst. Palaeontol. 5(1): 1-39. doi:10.1017/S1477201906001957 (HTML abstract)
• Wetmore, Alexander (1934): Fossil birds from Mongolia and China. American Museum Novitates 711: 1-16. PDF fulltext