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African fish eagle

The Haliaeetus Vociferous

Zanzibar-Tanzania
Tumwesigye

Tour Guide, Kampala, Uganda

| 2 mins read

The African Fish Eagles have a very distinctive yodelling yelp. It’s a sound that resonates across Africa and some people call it the sound of Africa. They belong to the Haliaeetus genus of sea eagles, one of the most ancient bird genera. These birds have been here since long before man and in fact, they’ve been here since before primates!

The African Fish Eagle has barbs on its feet to help it hold on to slippery fish, its main prey. They are kleptoparasites. This means they actively steal food from other birds. You could call them the pirates of Africa’s rivers and lakes!

African Fish Eagles aren’t just scavengers. Nor do they feed purely on fish. Fish is supplemented by other birds and mammals. They are incredibly efficient hunters, picking on ducks, waterfowl, and various birds. Other prey includes lizards, frogs, and carrion. These raptors are such strong hunters that they sometimes target unusual prey. Who would think that a fish eagle can carry off a baby crocodile! Or a small monkey! African fish eagles can carry prey that’s up to ten times its own body weight. Rather than carry it high into the sky it will drag prey across the water surface until it reaches a safe place to land.

Breeding season for African Fish Eagles is during the dry season when water levels are low. African Fish Eagles are believed to mate for life, and pairs will often maintain two or more nests, which they will frequently re-use. Because nests are re-used and built upon over the years, the nests can grow to be quite large, some reaching 2m (six feet) across and 1.2 m (4 feet) deep. The nests are placed in a large tree and built mostly of sticks and other pieces of wood.

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