Abstracto

CHANGEABLE HAWK EAGLE (Nisaetus cirrhatus) PREDATION ON INDIAN GREY MONGOOSE (Herpestes edwardsi) IN MUDUMALAI TIGER RESERVE, TAMIL NADU, SOUTHERN INDIA

Samson A, Rameshkumar A, Ramakrishnan B, Leona Princy J

The Changeable Hawk-eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus), is a birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They were formerly placed in the genus Spizaetus but studies pointed to the group being paraphyletic resulting in the Old World members being placed in Nisaetus (Helbig, 2005) and separated from the New World species. Changeable Hawk Eagles breed in southern Asia in India and Sri Lanka and from the SE rim of the Himalaya across Southeast Asia to Indonesia and the Philippines (Naoroji, 2006). This is a bird occurring singly (outside mating season) in open woodland, although island forms prefer a higher tree density. It builds a stick nest in a tree and lays a single egg (Naoroji, 2006). Feeding is the essential activity for all animals (McFarland, 1981). Basically, it involves the behavior to obtain food, diet and food processing. In raptors who are predominant meat eaters, food influences breeding activities. Further it may limit their survival and population number (Newton, 1991). In this note represented that Changeable Hawk Eagle (Nisaetus cirrhatus) predation on Indian grey mongoose or (Herpestes edwardsi) in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, Southern India.