Photo: Fernando Moraes
The Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle is an Accipitriform bird of the Accipitridae family. The Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle is a forest species that measures between 58 and 66 cm. The average weight of the species ranges between 900g (males) and 1100g (females). Adults have black plumage on the ventral part, with the dark brown-grayish back (almost black). It has a crown-shaped crest, with feathers that are white at the base and black elsewhere. It features black plumage with small white spots on the belly and shorts. The tail is long with three to four dark gray bars. In flight, this species has a distinctive silhouette, with wide, paddle-shaped wings and a long tail. The underside of the wings displays a beautiful and unmistakable pattern of white spots against a black background. The tarsi are completely feathered, the feet are yellow with black claws, a robust and dark beak, and the iris is yellow-orange in color.