Crested eagles are opportunistic predators that feed on a variety of mammals, reptiles, and birds. The frequency of their feeding depends on the age of the eaglet, with younger eaglets requiring more frequent feeding.

Crested Eagles’ Varied Diet

Crested eagles have a diverse diet that includes:

• Mammals: Opossums, kinkajous, squirrels, various arboreal rodents, and small monkeys like tamarins, spider monkeys, woolly monkeys, or capuchin monkeys.
• Reptiles: Arboreal snakes, terrestrial snake species, lizards, and iguanas.
• Birds: Trumpeters, jays, cocks-of-the-rock, and guans.

These birds are still hunters, often observed scanning the surrounding forest visually while perching for long periods.

Feeding Frequency and Eaglet Age

Image source: Long-crested eagle By Charles J. Sharp

The frequency of crested eagles’ feeding depends on the age of the eaglet:

• When the eaglet is very young, the mother will tear off small pieces of meat brought to the nest by the male adult and delicately feed the young eagle with her beak.
• As the nestling grows, it will be able to tear off and eat the meat on its own.

The female crested eagle spends the majority of her time caring for the eggs, while the male is responsible for bringing her food. The male needs to catch enough food to feed himself, the female, and the nestling. This is a lot of work, especially because the eaglet grows so quickly and needs to eat a lot and often.

Hunting Behavior

Crested eagles are still hunters, often observed scanning the surrounding forest visually while perching for long periods. They are opportunistic predators, taking advantage of a variety of prey species that are available in their habitat.

Hunting Techniques

Crested eagles use a few different hunting techniques:

1. Visual Scanning: They often perch for long periods, scanning the surrounding forest for potential prey.
2. Ambush Hunting: They may also wait patiently in a concealed location, such as a tree branch, and then swoop down to capture their prey.
3. Aerial Hunting: Crested eagles are also capable of hunting prey while in flight, using their sharp talons and beak to capture and kill their targets.

Prey Preferences

Crested eagles have a diverse diet, but they seem to prefer certain prey species over others. Some of their preferred prey include:

• Small to medium-sized mammals, such as opossums, kinkajous, and various arboreal rodents.
• Reptiles, including arboreal snakes, lizards, and iguanas.
• Birds, such as trumpeters, jays, cocks-of-the-rock, and guans.

Conclusion

In summary, crested eagles are opportunistic predators that feed on a variety of mammals, reptiles, and birds. The frequency of their feeding depends on the age of the eaglet, with younger eaglets requiring more frequent feeding. These birds are still hunters, often observed scanning the surrounding forest visually while perching for long periods, and they use a variety of hunting techniques to capture their prey.

References:

• The Peregrine Fund. (2021). Crested Eagle | The Peregrine Fund. Retrieved from https://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/eagles/crested-eagle/
• The Peregrine Fund. (n.d.). Long-crested Eagle | The Peregrine Fund. Retrieved from https://peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/eagles/long-crested-eagle/
• Wikipedia. (2021). Long-crested eagle. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-crested_eagle
• The Dallas World Aquarium. (n.d.). Guiana crested eagle. Retrieved from https://dwazoo.com/animal/guiana-crested-eagle/
• Wildlife Facts – Weebly. (n.d.). Crested Eagle. Retrieved from https://wildlife-facts.weebly.com/crested-eagle.html