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

This species is distributed across the African tropical rainforest, including upper and lower Guinean forests.

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.

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