[order] ACCIPITRIFORMES | [family] Accipitridae | [latin] Nisaetus floris | [authority] E. Hartert, 1898 | [UK] Flores Hawk-Eagle | [FR] Aigle de Flores | [DE] Asiatischer Haubenadler | [ES] Aguila azor de Flores | [NL] Flores havikarend
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Region | Range |
| Nisaetus | floris | AU | Lesser Sundas |
Genus
Nisaetus is a genus of eagles found mainly in tropical Asia. They were earlier placed within the genus Spizaetus but molecular studies show that the Old World representatives were closer to the genus Ictinaetus than to the New World Spizaetus (in the stricter sense). They are slender bodied, medium sized hawk-eagles with rounded wings, long feathered legs, barred wings, crests and usually adapted to forest habitats
Physical charateristics
The head of floris is white in both adults and juveniles, sometimes with fine brownish streaks on the crown.The mantle and back are dark brown. The inner vanes of the tertials are pure white. On the inner parts of the outer primaries, the outer vanes are white, forming a large and well-defined white patch on the upperside of the wing. In some individuals, this patch is less conspicuous and more greyish, but still contrasts with the dark colour of the rest of the upperwing. The tail is brown with six dark bars, the outermost broader than the others. The distance between the two outermost dark bars is slightly larger than between the other bars. The inner part of the tail and the uppertail-coverts are white, producing a distinctive white patch. The entire underside, including the thighs and legs, are pure white.
| wingspan min.: | 0 | cm | wingspan max.: | 0 | cm |
| size min.: | 75 | cm | size max.: | 79 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 0 | days | incubation max.: | 0 | days |
| fledging min.: | 0 | days | fledging max.: | 0 | days |
| broods: | 0 | eggs min.: | 0 | ||
| eggs max.: | 0 |
Range
Australasia : Lesser Sundas. Spizaetus floris is found in Indonesia, on the islands of Flores, Sumbawa and Lombok (on the borders of Rinjani National Park) as well as on two satellite islands, Satonda near Sumbawa and Rinca near Komodo. Records from Paloe and Komodo have not been verified. Its population size has been estimated at fewer than 100 pairs.
Habitat
It is found in lowland and submontane forest up to 1,600 m, with the majority of observations being made in lowland rainforest. It has been sighted over cultivated areas, but always close to intact or semi-intact forest
Reproduction
Evidence suggests that breeding takes place during the dry season. Display flight and copulation have been observed on Flores in June-July. A territory size of 40 km2 per pair has been estimated
Feeding habits
Probably feeds on small mammals, birds, and lizards, like closely related eagle species
Conservation
This species has an extremely small population that is undergoing a continuing very rapid decline over three generations as a result of habitat clearance, and as a consequence it has been uplisted to Critically Endangered.
Habitat degradation and destruction are the most important threats to S. floris; records are infrequent and it has rarely been recorded during trips to several large forest tracts suggesting extreme low density and casting some doubt on the assertion that it may be able to survive in a partly cultivated landscape. Protected areas in its range are currently too small to ensure its long-term survival. Persecution, due to its habit of stealing chickens, and capture for the cagebird trade pose additional threats.
Habitat degradation and destruction are the most important threats to S. floris; records are infrequent and it has rarely been recorded during trips to several large forest tracts suggesting extreme low density and casting some doubt on the assertion that it may be able to survive in a partly cultivated landscape. Protected areas in its range are currently too small to ensure its long-term survival. Persecution, due to its habit of stealing chickens, and capture for the cagebird trade pose additional threats.
Migration
Non-migratory, but the present distribution of the species suggests that it must move from island to island on a very local basis.
Distribution map
