Lesser fish eagle with a scientific name "Ichthyophaga humilis" is a species of Ichthyophaga found in the Indian subcontinent.
Concentration of Lesser Fish Eagle
Lesser Fish Eagle is primarily in the foothills of the Himalayas, and south-east Asia. There have been some stray reports from Gujarat and Central India and in more recent times from the Kaveri river valley in southern India.
Feet of Lesser Fish Eagle
Lesser Fish Eagles are fish-eating birds that have feet adapted to aid in gripping slippery fish. They have strongly curved talons, and spicules along the underside of the birds` toes that helps to grip the fish as they pull them from the water. There are two subspecies: Ichthyophaga humilis humilis, which is native to the Malaysian Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, and Sulawesi; and Ichthyophaga humilis plumbea, which is native to Kashmir through southeast India, Nepal, and Burma towards Indochina.
Size of Lesser Fish Eagle
Lesser Fish Eagle is a medium sized bird of prey that is primarily grey-brown in colour with broad, blunt wings and coarse featherless legs. They are smaller than the similar grey-headed fish eagle and may often get confused with the similar species. The lesser fish eagle has a brown breast with white thighs and belly. They have a short, rounded tail with a long neck and a small head. Juvenile lesser fish eagles are similar in appearance to adults, although they have brown eyes whereas an adult has yellow. Adults have a wingspan reaching 1.2 m and can grow to up to 64 centimetres tall.
Feedings of Lesser fish eagle
Lesser fish eagle feeds primarily on fish, which it snatches from the water as it observes them from above on a perch, which may be an overhanging tree or rock in the middle of a stream. They have several personal perches that they often switch between throughout their feeding time. As their diet is primarily fish, lesser fish eagles have large, curved talons specialized for catching fish and taking them from the water
Residence of Lesser Fish Eagle
Lesser fish eagle inhabits various forms of rivers, lakes, and wetlands and is seen most often along hill streams and fast moving water. They have been known to reach heights up to 2,400 m, but usually create their habitats below 1,000 meters .Some specific eagles have been recorded to reach heights exceeding 4,000 m in Nepal. Lesser fish eagle has been known to live in India and the Kashmir region, spanning eastward into Nepal, China, and other parts of Southeast Asia. In India, they are restricted to the Himalayan foothills and move north-eastern. The adults move south of the Himalayan mountain ranges, but remain partial and altitudinal in the Himalayas throughout the year.
