The Congo serpent eagle (Dryotriorchis spectabilis) is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, and is placed in the monotypic genus Dryotriorchis. This species is found in western and central Africa, with its range stretching from Sierra Leone south to Angola and west to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It occurs in upper and lower Guinean forests, which are dense rainforests. This serpent eagle specializes in hunting in these forests’ dark understories. It has two subspecies, the nominate subspecies Dryotriorchis spectabilis spectabilis and Dryotriorchis spectabilis batesi. Though monotypic, it appears to be very closely related to Circaetus. This hawk is a medium-sized bird with distinctive short, rounded wings and a long, rounded tail. It is varying shades of brown on