Crested Serpent Eagle
Spilornis cheela
About This Species
A large forest raptor of South and Southeast Asia, most often detected by its loud, far-carrying scream given in flight or from a high perch in wooded hills and forest edge. Look for the broad wings held in a shallow V while soaring on thermals, and the bushy crest visible when perched. Mornings, once thermals build over forested ridges, are the best time to catch it circling and calling.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- View from a distance with binoculars rather than approaching a perched bird or nest tree, since raptors are easily flushed and repeated disturbance near a nest can cause them to abandon it.
- Birds of prey and their nests are legally protected in many range countries, though the specific protections and penalties differ, so avoid climbing to or lingering beneath any suspected nest site.
- If a bird flies off at your approach, you were already too close and should not follow it.
LCAvesAccipitriformesAccipitridae
Seasonal Activity
340,226 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
Photo
(c) Dixon Lau, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Dixon Lau
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.