About the Grey-headed Fish Eagle
The Grey-headed Fish Eagle is a large, imposing raptor specialised almost entirely on fishing — it hunts by watching for fish from a prominent perch over clear water, then plunging feet-first to snatch prey from close to the surface. Found across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia wherever large, clear rivers and reservoirs adjoin tall forest, it is one of India's most charismatic and under-appreciated eagles.
Grey-headed Fish Eagles require a very specific combination of habitat: large, mature trees for nesting and perching, and clear, unpolluted water with good fish populations. This makes them sensitive indicators of freshwater ecosystem health. Their global decline mirrors the degradation of Asia's rivers — pollution, dam construction, and removal of large riverside trees have eliminated them from much of their former range. In India, Corbett's Ramganga River and the rivers of Assam's national parks offer the most reliable sightings.