Species names in all available languages
| Language | Common name |
|---|---|
| Czech | orel andský |
| Dutch | Andeskuifarend |
| English | Black-and-chestnut Eagle |
| English (United States) | Black-and-chestnut Eagle |
| Finnish | rotkokotka |
| French | Aigle d'Isidore |
| French (French Guiana) | Aigle d'Isidore |
| German | Kastanienbauchadler |
| Japanese | アカクロクマタカ |
| Norwegian | andesskogørn |
| Polish | andowik |
| Russian | Траурный хохлатый орёл |
| Serbian | Crno-kestenjasti jastrebasti orao |
| Slovak | orlovec andský |
| Spanish | Águila Poma |
| Spanish (Argentina) | Aguila Poma |
| Spanish (Ecuador) | Águila Andina |
| Spanish (Peru) | Aguila Negra y Castaña |
| Spanish (Spain) | Águila poma |
| Spanish (Venezuela) | Águila de Copete |
| Swedish | Isidors hökörn |
| Turkish | And Atmaca Kartalı |
| Ukrainian | Орел Ісідори |
Revision Notes
Tomás Rivas-Fuenzalida, Juan Manuel Grande, Sebastián Kohn, Felix Hernán Vargas, and Santiago Zuluaga Castañeda revised the account as part of a partnership with Fundación Ñankulafkén. Peter Pyle contributed to the "Plumages, Molts, and Structure" page. Andrew J. Spencer contributed to the "Sounds and Vocal Behavior" page. Huy C. Truong updated the distribution map. Tammy Zhang curated the media. JoAnn Hackos, Miriam Kowarski, Robin K. Murie, and Daphne R. Walmer copy edited the account.
Spizaetus isidori (Des Murs, 1845)
Definitions
- SPIZAETUS
- isidorei / isidori / isidoria / isidorii
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Black-and-chestnut Eagle Spizaetus isidori Scientific name definitions
Version: 2.0 — Published November 23, 2022
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Photos from this Account
Adult
Immature
Adult
Adult
Immature
Adult
Adult
Adult in flight.
Juvenile Black-and-chestnut Eagle in flight.
Adult Black-and-chestnut Eagle (Spizaetus isidori).
The adult eagle is largely black, with a chestnut chest, belly and pants, whitish patch in primary feathers and tail, yellow eyes, and a dark crest.
Possible confusion species: adult Black Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus).
The Black Hawk-Eagle is smaller and has a narrower silhouette compared to the adult Black-and-chestnut Eagle.
Possible confusion species: adult Black Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus tyrannus).
The Black Hawk-Eagle is smaller and has a narrower silhouette compared to the adult Black-and-chestnut Eagle.
Possible confusion species: juvenile Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus melanoleucus).
The juvenile Black-and-chestnut Eagle lacks the dark mask and has whiter-brownish upperparts than those of the juvenile Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle.
Possible confusion species: juvenile Ornate Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus ornatus).
The juvenile Black-and-chestnut Eagle is much larger and has whiter upperparts than the juvenile Ornate Hawk-Eagle.
Adult Black-and-chestnut Eagle (Spizaetus isidori) in flight.
The upperside of the primaries are largely white to pale brown with black tips, creating a bold pale patch that can sometimes be visible ventrally.
Possible confusion species: adult Solitary Eagle (Buteogallus solitarius) in flight.
The Solitary Eagle lacks a whitish patch on the wings and has a noticeably shorter tail than the Black-and-chestnut Eagle.
Possible confusion species: adult Solitary Eagle (Buteogallus solitarius) in flight.
Note the tail, which is much shorter than that of the Black-and-chestnut Eagle.
Natal Down in Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Recently hatched chick covered with white down with a black mask between the eyes and the beak.
Natal Down in Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Chick in nest covered with white down.
Natal Down in Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Molting into juvenile plumage on the scapulars and wing coverts typically becomes visible at about 35-40 days of age.
Juvenile Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Upper wing coverts gray-brownish with white borders, and gray-blackish remiges and rectrices all barred black.
Juvenile Black-and-chestnut Eagle, having commenced Preformative Molt
The ventral view is largely white, with some browner stains on the neck, chest sides, and wing coverts. The brown feathers may be formative, as are the blacker replace back feathers and perhaps the barred elongated crest feathers.
Formative Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Formative Plumage is similar to Juvenile Plumage but with some body feathers replaced. Formative back feathers blacker; formative head and underpart feathers buff with dark streaks.
Formative Black-and-chestnut Eagle, possibly undergoing Second Prebasic Molt
Sides of the neck, chest, belly, and pants have light chestnut coloration (with some blackish feathers). Darker colored feathers may be second basic. Barred juvenile outer primaries and rectrices retained but by this time inner primaries may be molting as part of the Second Prebasic Molt.
Formative Black-and-chestnut Eagle, possibly undergoing Second Prebasic Molt
The white juvenile feathers on the throat, ventral part of the neck, chest, and belly are retained.
Second Basic Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Similar to Definitive Basic, but with white feathers retained on the throat and center of the chest and belly. Lighter brown visible on the eyebrows and cheeks. Remiges and rectrices may be largely replaced in this individual.
Second Basic Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Very similar to Definitive Basic, but with a white throat visible. Some juvenile white underwing coverts retained. Chestnut underparts mottled or streaked white. Juvenile outer primaries (p7-p10) and secondaries (s2-s4 and s6-s11) retained, barred, contrasting with definitive-patterned replaced remiges. Barred juvenile outer rectrices also are retained, contrasting with broader and blacker replaced central rectrices.
Third Basic Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Very similar to Definitive Basic, but with a white throat with thick black middle and side bands. Note also the retained juvenile outer primary (p10) on both wings.
Definitive Basic Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Head, back, and upper coverts black. Large black crest visible.
Definitive Basic Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Back is entirely black. Note that the rectrices are broad and basic, gray at the base with a thick, black, terminal band.
Definitive Basic Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Underparts are primarily chestnut. Ornamental crest feathers can be raised. Basic rectrices are broad and truncate at the tips.
Definitive Basic Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Tail has a broad, black terminal band. Underwing coverts are chestnut with small black longitudinal lines. Ventral primaries have a whitish patch and black tip. Secondaries are gray with two dark, faded bands and a thick, black terminal band. Note Staffelmauser patterns among primaires, with sets (defined as older proximal to newer distal feathers) occurring at p1-p4, p5-p9 (p9 growing) and p10, the outer primary basic rather than juvenile. Secondaries and rectrices also show mixed generations of basic feathers.
Definitive Basic Black-and-chestnut Eagle
From above, light-grey patch in the primaries and rectrices are broad and truncate, gray with a thick, black, terminal band. Staffelmauser sets of basic primaries are located at p1-p2, p3-p7, and p8-p10.
Black-and-chestnut Eagle undergoing Definitive Prebasic Molt
The p9 on both wings and the left central rectrix are growing.
Adult Black-and-chestnut Eagle
The irides and toes in adults are yellow. The claws, maxilla, and tip of the mandible are black.
Juvenile Black-and-chestnut Eagle
The irides are green-gray in juveniles.
Juvenile Black-and-chestnut Eagle
The irides are green-gray in juveniles. The toes are yellow and the claws are black, as in adults.
Habitat: forest edge and open land in Colombia.
Habitat: montane forest in Ecuador.
Habitat: montane forest in Ecuador.
Habitat: cloud forest on the eastern Andean slope in Peru.
Habitat: humid montane forest in Peru.
Habitat: montane forest in Argentina.
Flying away with a chicken.
The Black-and-chestnut Eagle has been frequently observed consuming domestic fowl.
Black-and-chestnut Eagle with chicken prey.
The Black-and-chestnut Eagle is vulnerable to human persecution due to its tendency to take domestic chickens from farms.
Adult stretching.
Stretching is as with other birds, leg or wing extended downward and dorsolaterally, one at a time
Pair carrying sticks in a courtship flight.
Being chased by a Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus).
Being attacked by a Barred Hawk (Morphnarchus princeps).
Being chased by a Red-throated Caracara (Ibycter americanus).
Being chased by caracaras (family Falconidae).
Adult with young at nest in Antioquia, Colombia.
Adult with juvenile at nest in Antioquia, Colombia.
Juvenile at nest in Caquetá, Colombia
Adult with juvenile in nest in April near Baeza, Ecuador.
In nests found near Baeza, incubation occurred between late August to early October with chick rearing from early October to late December; the post-fledging period was from late December to late April.
Juvenile in nest in October near Baeza, Ecuador.
In nests found near Baeza, chick rearing occurred from early October to late December; the post-fledging period was from late December to late April.
Pair flying together in April in Cusco, Peru.
Data from nests in the central Andes indicated the courtship period was between early February to early or mid-June. Courtship flights often involve flying closely together in a coordinated fashion.
Juvenile at nest in October in Cusco, Peru.
In the Central Andes, the fledging period has been recorded to occur from early August to early November.
Nest.
A large circular structure made of dry large branches with the cup lined with sprigs of green leaves.
Nest.
Located towards the top of a large emerging tree. Adult and chick visible.
Adult sitting on nest.
Most incubation is carried out by the female. The female also regularly broods chicks younger than about 45 days of age.
Dorsal view of chick.
At eleven weeks of age, the young is almost entirely feathered. Remnants of white down are still visible, particularly on the head.
Frontolateral view of chick.
At eleven weeks of age, the young is almost entirely feathered. Brownish feather patches are visible on the flanks and legs.
Young in nest.
The young may peck at epiphytes and mosses from the branches of the nest tree.
Young in nest.
At about 50 days of age, the young may run around the nest frequently.
Adult with young.
Macaulay Library Photos for Black-and-chestnut Eagle
Top-rated photos submitted to the Macaulay Library via eBird. Note: Our content editors have not confirmed the species identification for these photos.