Among the smaller eagles, it hunts birds, bats, and other vertebrates within or at the edge of tropical lowland forest.
Adults have black-brown upperparts and a grey tail with three dark bands. A black streak marks the white throat, while the pale underparts are barred dark brown.
The nominate race uses tropical and subtropical lowland forest, usually around 500 m. It takes birds, bats, rodents, and reptiles in the forest or along its edge; its stick nest is built in a tree fork.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.