Gurney's Eagle (Aquila gurneyi)

Family
Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles)

Size
66 - 76 cm

First Described (Guide)
Gray, 1860

Derivation
A-quil'-a - L., eagle: gurneyi - John Henry Gurney, Sr (1819 - 1890) who formed a major collection of raptorial birds in the Norwich Museum

Remarks
As an aid to identification in flight the following silhouettes may be of assistance

Gurneys Eagle (Aquila gurneyi) - gliding

Gliding

Gurneys Eagle (Aquila gurneyi) - soaring
Soaring

Abundance (Guide)
R - V

Uncommon. Vagrant to Boigu Island, Torres Strait.

Habitat
Lowland forests, forested coastal floodplains and offshore islands and mangroves. From sea-level - 1,000 m, occasionally to 1,500 m.

Range (Guide)

Indonesia (B) (NB), Papua New Guinea (B) (NB).

Vagrant to Australia.

New Guinea, western Papuan Is and Aru Is; also Moluccas, where recorded on Morotai, Halmahera, Ternate, Bacan and Ambon, and recently on Seram.

The only Australian records are from Boigu Island in the Torres Strait.

Rarity Status
View Rarity Status Information

Population
Estimated population is 1,000 (2010) and decreasing.

Status NT
Habitat loss and degradation are the main threats.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
A medium, high-pitched, slightly nasal piping.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files

Gurney's Eagle (Aquila gurneyi) [XC560080]
by id from Saporkren, Waigeo Selatan, Kabupaten Raja Ampat, Papua Barat, Indonesia (flight call)

Breeding Season (Guide)
Does not breed in Australia.

Subspecies
Has been associated with possible Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) superspecies.

No subspecies.

Similar Species
Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax)
Larger. Has a wedge-shaped tail.

White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
Larger. Immatures. Has a dark band on the tail. Legs are fully feathered.

Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax) which has wedged tail and immature White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) which has a dark band on the tail and has fully feathered legs.

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References
See References.

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9

Files:

JPG files for Gurneys Eagle (Aquila gurneyi) - 10 files

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BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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