The Ayres's hawk-eagle, named in honour of South African ornithologist Thomas Ayres, is a medium-sized bird of prey with a striking bicoloured appearance. The adult male boasts blackish upperparts with white mottling, a white forehead and a supercilium. Its tail is ashy grey with a black tip and dark bars. The underparts are predominantly white, adorned with dark brown spots and blotches. This species is noted for its small but sometimes pronounced crest. Females are generally darker and more heavily spotted than males, with less white on the forehead and supercilium. A melanistic phase also exists, presenting mostly black plumage with white markings.