No, Tawny Eagles (Aquila rapax) cannot be black. Tawny Eagles are a large bird of prey that belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are native to Africa, the Middle East, and India, and are known for their tawny upperparts and blackish flight feathers and tail. However, their plumage can vary in color from all dark grey-brown to an occasionally streaky (or more plain) foxy-rufous to buffish-yellow.
Plumage Variations of Tawny Eagles
The plumage of Tawny Eagles can vary in the following ways:
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Dark Morph: The dark morph adult is essentially all dark, dull brown. Some dark morph Tawny Eagles with wear may show irregular streaking or molting browns and more blackish feathers.
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Intermediate Morph: Intermediate morph Tawny Eagles are dark to rufous brown above with the mantle and wing coverts variably streaked or molted lighter rufous as is the head with the crown or crown-sides being paler.
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Typical Plumage: The most common plumage of Tawny Eagles features tawny upperparts and blackish flight feathers and tail. Adults often show relatively little varying colors apart from their somewhat blacker wing and tail feathers, though when freshly molted, great wing coverts and secondaries may show small pale tips which may form pale lines along the closed wing.
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Head and Tail Variations: The head is often similarly tawny in color as the body but may also sometimes show darker eyebrows, other thin brown streaks, or a darker chin. The tail is plain or obscurely dark barred (with around 7 subtle bands).
Confusion with Black-chested Buzzard-eagle
Image source: Tawny Eagle by Bernard DUPONT
It’s important to note that there is a different species of bird of prey that is black and is often confused with the Tawny Eagle, which is the Black-chested Buzzard-eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus). This species is native to South America and is known for its black chest and underparts, with white upperparts and tail. It is a much larger bird than the Tawny Eagle, with a total length of 62 to 76 cm (24 to 30 in) and a wingspan of 149 to 200 cm (4 ft 11 in to 6 ft 7 in).
Conclusion
In summary, Tawny Eagles cannot be black, but they can vary in color from all dark grey-brown to an occasionally streaky (or more plain) foxy-rufous to buffish-yellow. The dark morph adult is essentially all dark, dull brown, and some dark morph Tawny Eagles with wear may show irregular streaking or molting browns and more blackish feathers. Intermediate morph Tawny Eagles are dark to rufous brown above with the mantle and wing coverts variably streaked or molted lighter rufous as is the head with the crown or crown-sides being paler.
References:
– Carnivora.net – Tawny Eagle vs. Black-chested Buzzard-eagle
– The Peregrine Fund – Tawny Eagle
– Africa Wild Forum – Tawny Eagle Plumage Variations
– Animalia.bio – Tawny Eagle
– eBird – Tawny Eagle
