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90
NOTEBOOK
Observation of a Crested Serpent Eagle
Spilornis cheela catching and eating worms on
the ground in Peninsular Malaysia
CHRIS R. SHEPHERD
Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela is found
th roughout Sout h-East, Sout h and East Asia
and is categorised as Least Concern (BirdLife
International 2017). It is found in a wide variety
of habitats, from mangroves at sea-level to hilly,
disturbed and primary forests up to 1,900 m (Wells
1999).
As its name implies, the Crested Serpent Eagle
does prey on snakes, up to 2–2.5 m in length
(Smy thies 2001), but a variety of other smal l
animals have also been reported as part of its
diet, including liza rds, amphibians (frogs and
toads), insects and birds (Smythies 2001)—the
latter apparently including small grassland birds
such as weavers, munias and pipits (Wells 1999).
It is also reported to occasionally take grubs, fish
and crabs (Ferguson-Lees & Christie 2001, Naoroji
2006). Crested Serpent Eagles are reported as still-
hunting from canopy-level perches, both in the
forest and along forest edges, dropping onto prey
on the ground or snatching prey from vegetation
(Wells 1999). However, Vasava (2011) reported
observing a Crested Serpent Eagle in India hopping
around on the ground, trying to catch and feed on
swarming termites; it also perched on low branches
and swooped down to catch the termites as they
flew about.
On the morning of 17 November 2013, near
the Malaysian Nature Society visitor centre, Kuala
Selangor Nature Park, Peninsular Malaysia, I
observed a Crested Serpent Eagle on the ground
eating earthworms that it was extracting from a
patch of bare soil. I watched it feeding in this way
for about 15 minutes, during which time it caught
and ate two large worms before it flew and perched
low in a nearby tree. It had rained recently and
the ground was moist, which probably accounted
for the worms being near the surface. The bird
carefully studied the ground (Plate 1), picking
up leaves and tossing them aside (Plate 2) and
snatching the worms from the ground (Plate 3).
It then flew to a nearby tree, clearly reluctant to
leave the area, and observed me until I left another
15 minutes later.
Predation of earthworms by other large birds
of prey has been reported in the past (e.g. Livezey
et al. 2008) but not, to my knowledge, by Crested
Ser pent Eagles. Given t he var ied diet already
reported for this species, this may not be an
uncommon occurrence but, like most birds of prey
in Asia, there is a dearth of information about its
Plate 1. The Crested Serpent Eagle Spilornis cheela carefully
studying the ground, looking for earthworms.
Plate 2. Leaves were carefully picked up with its bill and
tossed aside as it searched for worms.
BirdingASIA 29 (2018): 90–91
All images taken near the Malaysian Nature Society visitor
centre, Kuala Selangor Nature Park, Peninsular Malaysia, 17
November 2013.
ALL IMAGES BY CHRIS R. SHEPHERD
91
Plate 3. Two large worms were snatched from the ground in
the space of 15 minutes and eaten on the spot.
References
BirdLife International (2017) Species factsheet: Spilornis cheela. Accessed
at http://www.birdlife.org on 10/11/2017.
Ferguson-Lees, J. & Christie, D. A. (2001) Raptors of the world. London:
Christopher Helm.
Livezey, K. B., Elderkin, M. F., Cott, P. A., Hobbs, J. & Hudson, J. P. (2008)
Barred Owls eating worms and slugs: advantage in not being picky
eaters. Northwestern Naturalist 89: 185–190.
Naoroji, R. (2006) Birds of prey of the Indian subcontinent. New Delhi: Om
Books International.
Smythies, B. E. (2001) The birds of Burma. Fourth edition. Kota Kinabalu:
Natural History Publications.
Vasava, A. (2011) Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela preying on
termites (Termitidae) in Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary,
Gujarat, India. In dian BIRDS 7: 56
Wells, D. R. (1999) The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, 1. London:
Academic Press.
Chris R. SHEPHERD
Box 200, Big Lake Ranch, B.C. V0L 1G, Canada
Email: shepherd.chrisr@gmail.com
diet, behaviour and other natural history traits.
Far more research and reporting of observations
is needed in the region to address gaps in our
knowledge.
BirdingASIA 29 (2018)