Hieraaetus

The genus Hieraaetus was introduced in 1844 by the German naturalist Johann Jakob Kaup with the booted eagle as the type species.{{ cite book | last=Kaup | first=Johann Jakob | author-link=Johann Jakob Kaup | year=1844 | title=Classification der Saugethiere und Vogel | language=German | location=Darmstadt | publisher=Carl Wilhelm Leske | page=120 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/35282202 }}{{ cite book | editor1-last=Mayr | editor1-first=Ernst | editor1-link=Ernst Mayr | editor2-last=Cottrell | editor2-first=G. William | year=1979 | title=Check-List of Birds of the World | volume=1 | edition=2nd | publisher=Museum of Comparative Zoology | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=383 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16109023 }} The name combines the Ancient Greek hierax meaning "hawk" with aetos meaning "eagle".{{cite book | last=Jobling | first=James A. | year=2010| title=The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | publisher=Christopher Helm | location=London | isbn=978-1-4081-2501-4 | page=192 | url=https://archive.org/stream/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling#page/n192/mode/1up }}

Molecular genetic research has found Hieraaetus to be polyphyletic with Aquila.{{refn|group=note|Lerner & Mindell (2005) found three clades containing a mixture of Aquila and Hieraaetus:

• A. chrysaetos, Spizaetus africanus, H. fasciatus, A. verrauxii, A. audax, A. gurneyi
• A. nipalensis, A. rapax, A. heliaca.
• A. wahlbergi, H. ayersii, H. morphnoides (H. m. morphnoides), H. weiskei (H. m. weiskei), H. pennatus.

}}{{refn|group="note"|Helbig et al. (2004){{cite journal|last1=Helbig|first1=Andreas J.|last2=Kocum|first2=Annett|last3=Seibold|first3=Ingrid|last4=Braun|first4=Michael J.|year=2004|title=A multi-gene phylogeny of aquiline eagles (Aves: Accipitriformes) reveals extensive paraphyly at the genus level|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|volume=35|issue=1|pages=147–164|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2004.10.003|pmid=15737588|bibcode=2005MolPE..35..147H }} [https://repository.si.edu/handle/10088/6276 Smithsonian] concluded that "Hieraaetus fasciatus/spilogaster are closest to Aquila verreauxii and should be merged with that genus. Wahlberg’s eagle H. wahlbergi, formerly placed in Aquila, is part of a clade including three small Hieraaetus species (pennatus, ayresii, and morphnoides)."}}{{refn|group="note"|Wink & Sauer-Gürth (2004),{{cite book|last1=Wink|first1=Michael|last2=Sauer-Gürth|first2=Heidi|chapter=Phylogenetic relationships in diurnal raptors based on nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear marker genes|editor1-last=Chancellor|editor1-first=R. D.|editor2-last=Meyburg|editor2-first=B.-U.|title=Raptors Worldwide|date=2004|publisher=WWGBP/MME|pages=483–498}} [http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/institute/fak14/ipmb/phazb/pdf-files/2004/31.2004.pdf PDF] [http://www.raptors-international.org/book/raptors_worldwide_2004/Wink_Sauer-Guerth_2004_483-498.pdf alternate location] comparing sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, also found several clades within the booted eagles that did not correspond to the existing genera:

• A. adalberti, A. heliaca, A. rapax, A. nipalensis
• A. audax, H. spilogaster, H. fasciatus, A. verrauxii, A. chrysaetos, A. ch. daphanea
• A. wahlbergi, H. pennatus, H. morphnoides
• A. clanga, A. pomarina, Lophoaetus occipitalis

But they commented: "Because Hieraaetus has been classified as a member of the genus Aquila before, the molecular data would support merging Hieraaetus with Aquila. }}

Hieraaetus kienerii was found to be most distinct,{{cite journal | last1 = Lerner | first1 = H. R. L. | last2 = Mindell | first2 = D. P. | year = 2005 | title = Phylogeny of eagles, Old World vultures, and other Accipitridae based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA | url = http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hlerner/LM2005.pdf | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 37 | issue = 2 | pages = 327–346 | doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2005.04.010 | pmid = 15925523 | bibcode = 2005MolPE..37..327L | access-date = 2008-10-04 | archive-date = 2011-06-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110606125031/http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hlerner/LM2005.pdf | url-status = dead }} [http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hlerner/LernerMindell2005Proofs.pdf proof] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411094354/http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hlerner/LernerMindell2005Proofs.pdf |date=2008-04-11 }}Jan Ove Gjershaug (2006) Taxonomy and conservation status of hawk-eagles (genus Nisaetus) in South-East Asia. Thesis. Norwegian University of Science and Technology [http://www.diva-portal.org/ntnu/abstract.xsql?dbid=413 Fulltext] and has been assigned to a separate genus, Lophotriorchis.{{cite journal|last1=Haring|first1=E.|last2=Kvaløy|first2=K.|last3=Gjershaug|first3=J.-O.|last4=Røv|first4=N.|last5=Gamauf|first5=A.|title=Convergent evolution and paraphyly of the hawk-eagles of the genus Spizaetus (Aves, Accipitridae) – phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial markers|journal=Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research|date=2007|volume=45|issue=4|pages=353–365|doi=10.1111/j.1439-0469.2007.00410.x}}

[http://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/jart/prj3/nhm/data/uploads/mitarbeiter_dokumente/gamauf/haring_et_al_jzser_2007.pdf PDF]

[http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/researchers/uploads/350/haring_et_al_jzser_2007_convergent_evolution.pdf alternate location] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714201337/http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/researchers/uploads/350/haring_et_al_jzser_2007_convergent_evolution.pdf |date=2014-07-14 }} "Despite the fact that its sister group has not been identified so far, it is advisable to separate it from the genus Hieraaetus and treat it as a different genus. ... Therefore, we propose to give the monotypic species Hieraaetus kienerii the resurrected name Lophotriorchis Sharpe, 1874."

After DNA sequences from remains of the extinct giant Haast's eagle were found to be similar to those of the little eagle,{{cite journal

|last1=Bunce|first1=M.|last2=Szulkin|first2=M|last3=Lerner|first3=HRL|last4=Barnes|first4=I|last5=Shapiro|first5=B

|title=Ancient DNA provides new insights into the evolutionary history of New Zealand's extinct giant eagle.

|journal=PLOS Biol|date=2005|volume=3|issue=1|page=e9|doi=10.1371/journal.pbio.0030009

|pmid=15660162

|pmc=539324|display-authors=etal |doi-access=free }}

it has been reclassified from Harpagornis moorei to the genus Hieraeetus.

{{cite journal |last1=Evans |first1=Kate

|title=Return of the Lost Birds

|journal=New Zealand Geographic

|date=November 2018 |issue=154 |page=30 |language=En |issn=0113-9967}}

The British Ornithological Union moved Bonelli's and booted eagles to Aquila in 2005, but was silent on the position of the non-European Ayres', little, and pygmy eagles.Recommended in
{{cite journal|last1=Sangster|first1=George|last2=Collinson|first2=J. Martin|last3=Helbig|first3=Andreas J.|last4=Knox|first4=Alan G.|last5=Parkin|first5=David T.|title=Taxonomic recommendations for British birds: third report|journal=Ibis|date=10 October 2005|volume=147|issue=4|pages=821–826|doi=10.1111/j.1474-919X.2005.00483.x|s2cid=250043960 |doi-access=free}}
Also summarized in
{{cite journal|last1=Collinson|first1=Martin|title=Splitting headaches? Recent taxonomic changes affecting the British and Western Palearctic lists|journal=British Birds|date=1 June 2006|volume=99|pages=306–323|url=http://britishbirds.co.uk/article/splitting-headaches-recent-taxonomic-changes-affecting-the-british-and-western-palearctic-lists/|access-date=2 July 2014}}

This could create a taxonomic problem: the booted eagle is the type species of Hieraaetus, moving it would make that name a junior synonym of Aquila. Consequently, should any other hawk-eagles be retained as a distinct group, they would need to get a different genus name. As of 2014, the BOU lists the booted eagle on their Category D and E lists as H. pennatus, not A. pennata.{{cite web|title=Category D species|url=http://www.bou.org.uk/british-list/category-d-species/|website=British Ornithologists' Union|access-date=8 July 2014}}

{{cite web|title=Category E species|url=http://www.bou.org.uk/british-list/category-e-species/|website=British Ornithologists' Union|access-date=8 July 2014}}

Christidis and Boles (2008) used an alternative approach. Accepting that both Aquila and Hieraaetus are polyphyletic, they moved spilogaster and fasciatus to the genus Aquila and retained the other former Hieraaetus group along with morphnoides and Aquila wahlbergi within the new delimitation of Hieraaetus.Les Christidis & Walter E Boles (2008) Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds. CSIRO publishing. {{ISBN|978-0-643-06511-6}}

Sometimes the entire genus is merged into Aquila. This was the approach taken with The Clements Checklist between 2001 and 2009: starting in the 2001 revisions to the 5th edition,{{cite web|last1=Lepage|first1=Denis|title=Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) (Gmelin, 1788)|url=http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?lang=EN&avibaseid=4B8CC2853542FFED|website=Avibase|access-date=21 June 2014}} (See also similar pages for the other species.) and retained in the printed 6th edition of 2007.{{cite book|last1=Clements|first1=James F.|title=The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World|edition=6th|date=June 2007|publisher=Cornell University Press|location=Ithaca, New York|pages=47–48}}

The Clements Checklist, in its 2009 revisions, followed the same approach as Christidis & Boles, moving Aquila wahlbergi into Hieraaetus; restoring the booted, little and Ayres' eagles back to Hieraaetus.{{cite web|author1=The Clements Checklist team|title=Updates & Corrections – December 2009|url=http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/updateindex/dec09overview/dec09/|website=The Cornell Lab of Ornithology|access-date=21 June 2014|date=23 December 2009|quote=Pages 47-48, Wahlberg’s Eagle Aquila wahlbergi, Booted Eagle Aquila pennata, Little Eagle Aquila morphnoides, Ayres’s Hawk-Eagle Aquila ayresii. All of these eagles belong in the genus Hieraaetus ... Rufous-bellied Eagle Aquila kienerii This species is not a member of the genus Aquila; it should be placed in the monotypic genus Lophotriorchis }}

The pygmy eagle, or New Guinea hawk-eagle, H. morphnoides weiskei was formerly considered a subspecies of the little eagle H. morphnoides; it has been recognized as a separate species by some authorities.{{cite web|author1=The Clements Checklist Team|title=Updates & Corrections: September 2012|url=http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/updateindex/sep12overview/sept12/|website=The Cornell Lab of Ornithology|access-date=2 July 2014|year=2012|quote=Page 48, Little Eagle Hieraaetus morphnoides. Elevate the monotypic group Little Eagle (Pygmy) (Hieraaetus morphnoides weiskei) to species rank as Pygmy Eagle (Hieraaetus weiskei). Reference: Gjershaug, J.O., H.R.L. Lerner, and O.H. Diserud. 2009. Taxonomy and distribution of the Pygmy Eagle Aquila (Hieraaetus) weiskei (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae). Zootaxa number 2326: 24–38.}}

The genus contains five species.{{Cite web |title=Hoatzin, New World vultures, Secretarybird, raptors – IOC World Bird List |url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/bow/raptors/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=www.worldbirdnames.org}}

Some authorities retain Bonelli's eagle and the African hawk-eagle in Hieraaetus. Also, some retain Wahlberg's eagle in Aquila, whilst still recognizing Hieraaetus as a separate genus.

{{Reflist|group=note}}

{{Reflist}}

• Helbig AJ, Kocum A, Seibold I & Braun MJ (2005) A multi-gene phylogeny of aquiline eagles (Aves: Accipitriformes) reveals extensive paraphyly at the genus level. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 35(1):147-164 [http://www.vogelwarte.uni-greifswald.de/pdf/Aquiline_Eagles.pdf PDF]{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• {{cite journal | last1 = Blanford | first1 = W. T. | year = 1894 | title = On the Scientific Names of the Imperial and Spotted Eagles and on the Generic Names of Bonelli's Eagle and the Black Eagle | journal = Ibis | volume = 36 | issue = 2| pages = 283–289 | doi = 10.1111/j.1474-919X.1894.tb07754.x | url = https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/389533 }}

{{Commonscat|Hieraaetus}}

{{Accipitrimorphae|A.|state=collapsed}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q255035}}

Category:Aquilinae

Category:Bird genera