The Congo serpent eagle (Dryotriorchis spectabilis) is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae.

Its breast is white with variable amounts of a rufous wash and, in the nominate subspecies, is covered in round, blackish spots.

The Congo serpent eagle closely resembles Cassin's hawk-eagle, and some ornithologists believe that this likeness is a rare example of avian mimicry.

This serpent eagle feeds on snakes, chameleons, and toads, and hunts these species by dropping onto them from a perch in the understory.

The Congo serpent eagle is listed as a species of Least Concern due to its large range and population.

The Congo serpent eagle was first described in 1863 by Hermann Schlegel as Astur spectabilis from a specimen collected near Elmina, Ghana.

[3] The syrinx morphology is distinctly like those of accipiter hawks but shows similarities to features found in Nisaetus.

[7][8] Despite Shelley's reclassification, the species was later merged into the genus Circaetus in 2005, along with other taxa popularly known as "serpent eagles".

[10] It has been suggested that the Congo serpent eagle evolved to mimic the Cassin's hawk-eagle, which could give the serpent eagle several advantages, possibly including the ability to trick its reptilian prey into not fleeing, lowering its own predation, and/or minimizing mobbing by birds through its resemblance to a predator of birds.

[3] The eyes are large and dark brown or grey in females and yellow in males while the beak is short but deep.

[3] The bird's underparts are white with variable amounts of rufous wash and a number of large, round blackish spots.

[12] Immatures have a white crown and mantle, while the upper back has rounded brown or black spots that vanish as the bird ages.

[13] It makes a cat-like meowing sound as well as a low, mournful, nasal "cow-cow-cow" at intervals over extended periods of time.

[14] The species lives in dense primary forest below 900 meters (3,000 ft) in elevation in the dark understory.

[16] The Congo serpent eagle lives in the understory of its habitat and occasionally perches on lower boughs in tall trees.