How to Identify Accipitridae — Hawk & Eagle Family

Accipitridae (Hawk & Eagle Family) is a animal family in the Animalia kingdom, order Accipitriformes, class Aves. The family contains 167 accepted species worldwide.

Key Identification Features

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Representative Accipitridae Species

How to identify Circaetus gallicus (Gmelin, 1788)

Circaetus gallicus (Gmelin, 1788)

Circaetus gallicus (Gmelin, 1788)

Circaetus gallicus, the short-toed snake eagle, is a large Old World raptor that…

How to identify Circus maillardi J.Verreaux, 1862

Circus maillardi J.Verreaux, 1862

Circus maillardi J.Verreaux, 1862

Circus maillardi (Réunion harrier) is a bird of prey endemic to Réunion with spe…

How to identify Aquila adalberti C.L.Brehm, 1861

Aquila adalberti C.L.Brehm, 1861

Aquila adalberti C.L.Brehm, 1861

The Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti) is a large Iberian apex raptor tha…

How to identify Aquila chrysaetos (Linnaeus, 1758)

Aquila chrysaetos (Linnaeus, 1758)

Aquila chrysaetos (Linnaeus, 1758)

The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is a widely distributed Northern Hemisphere…

How to identify Spizaetus ornatus (Daudin, 1800)

Spizaetus ornatus (Daudin, 1800)

Spizaetus ornatus (Daudin, 1800)

This is a detailed description of the Neotropical small eagle Spizaetus ornatus,…

How to identify Milvus milvus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Milvus milvus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Milvus milvus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Milvus milvus, the red kite, is a Palearctic raptor with detailed physical, dist…

How to identify Accipiter superciliosus (Linnaeus, 1766)

Accipiter superciliosus (Linnaeus, 1766)

Accipiter superciliosus (Linnaeus, 1766)

Accipiter superciliosus, the tiny hawk, is a small Neotropical raptor that prima…

How to identify Elanus caeruleus (Desfontaines, 1789)

Elanus caeruleus (Desfontaines, 1789)

Elanus caeruleus (Desfontaines, 1789)

Elanus caeruleus, the black-winged kite, is a small raptor found across Africa, …

How to identify Buteo albigula Philippi, 1899

Buteo albigula Philippi, 1899

Buteo albigula Philippi, 1899

Buteo albigula, the white-throated hawk, is an Andean raptor with distinct pluma…

How to identify Gyps rueppellii (A.E.Brehm, 1852)

Gyps rueppellii (A.E.Brehm, 1852)

Gyps rueppellii (A.E.Brehm, 1852)

Gyps rueppellii, or Rüppell's vulture, is a large high-flying African vulture wi…

How to identify Nisaetus alboniger Blyth, 1845

Nisaetus alboniger Blyth, 1845

Nisaetus alboniger Blyth, 1845

Blyth's hawk-eagle is a small-to-medium crested eagle found in Southeast Asian o…

How to identify Busarellus nigricollis (Latham, 1790)

Busarellus nigricollis (Latham, 1790)

Busarellus nigricollis (Latham, 1790)

The black-collared hawk is a monotypic Accipitridae bird of prey ranging from we…

Browse all 167 Accipitridae species →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you identify Accipitridae?

Accipitridae animals belong to the Accipitriformes order in the Animalia kingdom. Other identifying features include an owl-like rounded head, bright yellow eyes, and lightly barred underwings. For instant identification, use the iNature app — AI-powered and works offline.

What are the key characteristics of Accipitridae?

Accipitridae is classified in the order Accipitriformes, class Aves, phylum Chordata. Their underparts, underwings, and rumps are white, their tails are grey, and their wings are a mix of grey and black with a distinct white leading edge.

Sources: GBIF, iNaturalist, Wikipedia · Disclaimer

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