The Indian Spotted Eagle is about 60 cm in
length and has a wingspan of 150 cm. It is broad-headed, with the widest
mouth of all spotted eagles. This species has a lighter coloration overall
compared to its relatives, with a darker iris that makes the eyes
appear darker than the plumage (rather than the other way around as in the
northern spotted eagles). Adults can be told apart from the Greater Spotted
Eagle by its lighter color, darker eyes, and habitat preferences .After about
three or four months the young birds are glossy brown with the tips of the head
and neck feathers being creamy and giving a spotted appearance. The upper tail
coverts are light brown with white giving a barred appearance. The median
coverts have large creamy spots. After about eighteen months the bird mounts
and becomes a darker shade and has less spots. Some older juveniles, unlike the
lesser and Greater species, are not strongly spotted at all, making the common
name somewhat misleading, and also lack the creamy buff nape patch of the
juvenile Lesser Spotted Eagle.
Hook-nosed Sea Snake
These snakes are generally found in the coast and coastal islands of India. They are amongst the most common of the 20 kinds of sea snakes found in that region. They are active both during the day and at night. They are able to dive up to 100 m and stay underwater for a maximum of five hours before resurfacing. Sea snakes are equipped with glands to eliminate excess salt. They are venomous and notably aggressive, with some herpetologists describing them as "cantankerous and savage". The venom of this species is made up of highly potent neurotoxins and myotoxins. This widespread species is responsible for the vast majority of deaths from sea snake bites .
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