Species information
Scientific name: Spilornis cheela perplexus
Japanese name: カンムリワシ
Chinese name: 八重山大冠鷲、琉球蛇鵰
English name: Yaeyama crested serpent eagle
Origin: This subspecies is only found on Ishigaki and Iriomote islands
Ecology and description
Yaeyama crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela perplexus) is a subspecies of the crested serpent eagle, found only on Ishigaki and Iriomote islands. It is rare, with a combined population of less than 200 individuals on both islands. It has been designated as a National Natural Monument of Japan, but about 5 individuals die annually due to traffic accidents.
References:
- Special Natural Monument: Traffic Accidents of the Crested Serpent Eagle are Occurring Frequently
- Avi-base
Field photographs taken during our tours, with observation dates
