Kinabalu Serpent-Eagle

The Kinabalu, or mountain serpent eagle (Spilornis kinabaluensis), is a species of bird of prey of the family Accipitridae, and found on the island of Borneo.

Description[edit]

The Kinabalu serpent-eagle is small, about 20-22 inches in length, with a wingspan of 46.3-50.6 inches. Females are slightly larger than males. It is predominantly dark brown to blackish brown overall, with light-colored or whitish spots on the belly and back of the head; the head itself is black. The chest and belly is the same color, with some individuals sporting a dark reddish hue. In flight the bird can be seen with a single broad white band on the primaries, secondaries, and tail feathers. The face is bare, with yellow skin from the eyes to the cere; the yellow legs are thin and bare of feathers.

Range and habitat[edit]

The Kinabalu serpent-eagle is found on Borneo, restricted to a mountain range in the north-central portion of the island, from the area around Mt. Kinabalu south into eastern Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak (Malaysia), and Kalimantan (Indonesia). It lives within dense montane and sub-montane rain forests and associated ridge forests, from 2,700 to 9,000 feet elevation^[2].

Threats[edit]

Habitat loss is the chief threat to this species, as forest is lost at an increasing rate for agricultural needs. This loss is happening primarily at lower levels of elevation, with smaller areas cleared out at higher elevations by small-scale or family farming^[3].

References[edit]