The remarkably long, feathered crest possessed by the aptly named long-crested eagle, is this unmistakable bird of prey’s most striking feature. It is a relatively small eagle with dark brown to black plumage, long, white feathered legs, and a well barred tail. With the broad, rounded wings spread in flight, patches of white are conspicuous at the base of the primaries. Although larger and heavier than the male, the female usually has a slightly shorter crest and often has dirty white to brown legs. The juvenile is very similar to the adult but tends to have lighter plumage and, like the female, a shorter crest.