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6

Little Eagle

(Hieraaetus morphnoides)
Size: 45-55 cm; wing span 1.1-1.35 m
Weight: 0.6-0.8 kg (male), 0.9-1.2 kg (female)

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Little Eagle at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "morphnoides"

Light morphology

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of an adult Little Eagle perched in a dead tree (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Cullyamurra Waterhole, near Innamincka, SA, July 2015]

Frontal view of a Little Eagle perched in a dead tree, now with its head turned (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Cullyamurra Waterhole, near Innamincka, SA, July 2015]

Near-frontal view of a Little Eagle perching in a Currajong tree
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, January 2014]

Near-lateral view of a Little Eagle perching in a Currajong tree
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, January 2014]

Lateral/ventral view of a Little Eagle about to depart (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Cullyamurra Waterhole, near Innamincka, SA, July 2015]

Dorsal view of a Little Eagle looking back at the observer
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, January 2018]

Dorsal view of a Little Eagle looking back at the observer
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, January 2018]

Frontal/ventral view of a Little Eagle in-flight - note the conspicuous "pantaloons" (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Narrabri, NSW, May 2021]

Near-frontal view of a Little Eagle in-flight (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bedourie, QLD, August 2022]

Near-frontal view of a Little Eagle in-flight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2009]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a Little Eagle in-flight (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bedourie, QLD, August 2022]

Near-lateral view of a soaring Little Eagle
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2009]

Not often seen - distant view of the upperwing pattern of a light-morphology Little Eagle
[Near Bellata, NSW, November 2015]

Lateral view of a Little Eagle in-flight, harassing a female Swamp Harrier (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bedourie, QLD, August 2022]

Lateral/ventral view of a Little Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Cullyamurra Waterhole, near Innamincka, SA, July 2015]

Lateral/ventral view of a Little Eagle in flight
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2009]

Lateral/ventral view of a Little Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, April 2015]

Little Eagle seen from underneath (click on image to see how a White-breasted Woodswallow is harassing the bird)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2010]

Dorsal view of a Little Eagle in-flight (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, April 2015]

Little Eagle being mobbed by Australian Ravens
[Narrabri Lake, NSW, April 2016]

Little Eagle being mobbed by 20-30 corvids (ravens and/or crows)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2013]

This Little Eagle is being harassed by an Australian Hobby
[20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, March 2016]

Little Eagle soaring high up in a thermal; click on photo to also see a Wedge-tailed Eagle
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, September 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Juvenile Little Eagle on a fence post (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2015]

Juvenile Little Eagle banking to land on a fence post (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2015]

Juvenile Little Eagle soaring (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2015]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial Mobility: Dispersive/sedentary Elementary unit: Solitary

Little Eagle getting in the way of a Nankeen Kestrel (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2021]

Little Eagle getting in the way of a Nankeen Kestrel (photo courtesy of V. Collins)
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2021]

Food, Diet

All raptors are carnivores. Little Eagles prey on mammals up to the size of possums and birds up to the size of ducks.

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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