Grey-headed Fish Eagle (Icthyophaga ichthyaetus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Grey-headed Fish Eagle

Icthyophaga ichthyaetus (Horsfield, 1821)

61–75 cmLength1.6 kgWeight

Busiest months: November–March · Most records: Singapore, India, Sri Lanka

Near Threatened

Where and when it's recorded

Grey-headed Fish Eagle has been recorded at 292 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 13 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Kaziranga NP & Surroundings – Eastern RangeIndia791 records
  2. Kaziranga NP & Surroundings – Western RangeIndia706 records
  3. Kaziranga NP & Surroundings – Central RangeIndia649 records
More places
  1. Kaziranga NP & SurroundingsIndia590 records
  2. Prek Toal Bird SanctuaryCambodia576 records
  3. Yala National ParkSri Lanka500 records
  4. Sungei Buloh Wetland ReserveSingapore471 records
  5. Bundala NPSri Lanka466 records
  6. Kanha NP – Mukki ZoneIndia455 records
  7. Kranji MarshSingapore397 records

Countries and regions with the most records

SingaporeIndiaSri LankaMalaysiaCambodiaNepalBangladeshVietnam

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

Questions

How big is the Grey-headed Fish Eagle?

The Grey-headed Fish Eagle is about 61–75 cm long and weighs around 1.6 kg.

Where does the Grey-headed Fish Eagle live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: India through Southeast Asia, Philippines, Greater Sundas and Sulawesi. It is most often recorded in Singapore, India and Sri Lanka.

When is the best time to see the Grey-headed Fish Eagle?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, February, March, November and December (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Grey-headed Fish Eagle endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Grey-headed Fish Eagle as Near Threatened.

What does the Grey-headed Fish Eagle eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Grey-headed Fish Eagle in?

It belongs to the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae), order Accipitriformes.

At a glance

Length
61–75 cm
Weight
1.6 kg
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Near Threatened
More measurements
Wing
471 mm
Tail
269 mm
Bill
66 mm
Tarsus
82 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Oriental: India through Southeast Asia, Philippines, Greater Sundas and Sulawesi

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Kites, Hawks, Eagles Accipitridae
Genus
Icthyophaga

Other birds in the genus Icthyophaga

African Fish EagleAfrican Fish EagleIcthyophaga vociferMadagascar Fish EagleMadagascar Fish EagleIcthyophaga vociferoidesWhite-bellied Sea EagleWhite-bellied Sea EagleIcthyophaga leucogasterSanford's Sea EagleSanford's Sea EagleIcthyophaga sanfordiLesser Fish EagleLesser Fish EagleIcthyophaga humilisPearl KitePearl KiteGampsonyx swainsoniiScissor-tailed KiteScissor-tailed KiteChelictinia riocouriiWhite-tailed KiteWhite-tailed KiteElanus leucurusBlack-winged KiteBlack-winged KiteElanus caeruleusBlack-shouldered KiteBlack-shouldered KiteElanus axillaris
Grey-headed Fish Eagle

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by bhanukiran. ↗

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