The mountain hawk eagle has dark brown feathers on the head and body with a light cinnamon feathers on the breast. Beaks are most often black as are their claws. They have yellow eyes. They are usually between 24 to 28 inches in length, although Japanese mountain hawks are larger (28 to 31 inches).

The mountain hawk eagle is one of the most voracious raptors in the world. They sit upon a concealed perch high in the forrest to observe the unsuspecting ground quarry, then move down to a lower branch to make a short and fast swoop. Their nests are within the deep confines of forests throughout Asia.  Most mountain hawk eagle lay three eggs, and defend the young throughout the development into adults.

I gazed up at the stately Japanese Mountain Hawk Eagle at the Fort Worth Zoo, who was surveying the domain from a roost so high that I got the same sensation as gazing up at a sky-scraper. A trainer casually tossed some white mice on the floor of the cage, and I thought that I had come at an opportune time, to see the raptor swoop down and grasp its prey. Much to my dissapointment, the hawk eagle just continued its surveyance, with its back turned to me no less. The raptor gazed down at its food below, with a look of disconcernment. I felt that it was in effect saying, "Give me a real challenge." The mountain hawk eagle, venerated by the Japanese, does not look at home to me.