African Hawk-Eagle Aquila spilogaster Scientific name definitions

55–62 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); male 1150–1400 g, female 1400–1750 g (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); wingspan 132–150 cm (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Fairly small eagle; upperparts blackish with white flecks ; underparts white with dark tear-drop streaks; tail greyish with narrow dark bars and broad blackish subterminal band. Distinctive pale area in primaries in flight; trailing edge of remiges black. Irides rich yellow; cere and feet greenish-yellow to yellow (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Recalls H. ayresii, but larger, usually not as heavily marked, and without pure white patch at base of forewing. Highly similar to <em>A</em>. <em>fasciata</em> (with which potentially sympatric near Red Sea), which is longer-winged, shorter-tailed and lacks pale panels on upperwings. Female larger and more heavily streaked below than male. Juvenile with variable amount of streaking on underparts, hazel irides.

This species and A. fasciata, with which often considered conspecific, previously placed in Hieraaetus, but molecular studies indicate that both belong in present genus (see A. fasciata, above). Monotypic.

Senegambia E to Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia, and S to Namibia, Botswana and NE South Africa.

Open woodland , savanna, riparian forest, wooded hills, thorn brush with scattered trees, forest edge and human-altered habitats such as plantations and cultivated areas in arid and semi-arid landscapes so long as some trees present; avoids treeless areas and dense forest (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Adults resident and sedentary with no movements reported; juvenile movements presumably confined to natal dispersal (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Routinely takes large birds such as francolins, guineafowl (2 Middleton, A. and Middleton, I. (2005). Adaptive hunting by African Hawk-Eagles. Honeyguide. 51(2): 23. Close ) and hornbills; also smaller birds, mammals (e.g. hares, hyraxes (3 Drummond, M.K.N. (2002). African Hawk Eagle takes hyrax. Honeyguide. 48(2): 253. Close , 4 Drummond, M.K.N. and Hartley, R.R. (2002). The influence of hyrax on the distribution and abundance of Black, Crowned and African Hawk eagles in the Bubiana Conservancy. Honeyguide. 48(2): 190-197. Close ), dikdiks and mongooses), snakes and lizards; juveniles occasionally feed on insects. Ninety-one prey items from nesting pairs in Zimbabwe consisted of 21% mammals (eight species), 68% birds (11 species) and 11% reptiles (five species) (5 Middleton, A.G. (2002). Feeding ecology of some eagles on Triangle Estate. Honeyguide. 48(2): 181-189. Close ). A dashing hunter, stooping from soaring flight or a perch , less often making fast prospecting flights among trees. Members of pair often hunt together and follow prey into dense vegetation; in one case pair members repeatedly cooperated in driving Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris) into a barbed wire game fence and then ate the fowl that were injured or killed during the collision (2 Middleton, A. and Middleton, I. (2005). Adaptive hunting by African Hawk-Eagles. Honeyguide. 51(2): 23. Close ). Hunting individuals spend long periods perched within cover, or soaring high above territory. Also known to take domestic fowl near settlements and cultivated areas, and carrion.

Generally silent, except during the breeding season when gives a repeated melodious whistle “klooee” during display flights and contact between pair-members, sometimes extended into “klu-klu-klu-klooee”  . Other calls at or near nest include a squealing “skweeya”, and various squawks, clucks and softer notes (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Laying mainly in dry season: Feb in The Gambia; Jan in Somalia; Oct–Nov in NE DRCongo, Uganda and W Kenya; Apr–Sept in S and C Africa (peak Jun). Builds substantial stick nest (100 cm across, 50–125 cm deep) in prominent upper fork of acacia, baobab, eucalyptus, or other large tree, often along a watercourse, rarely on a power pylon, 4–36 m (usually 9–15 m) above ground (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close , 4 Drummond, M.K.N. and Hartley, R.R. (2002). The influence of hyrax on the distribution and abundance of Black, Crowned and African Hawk eagles in the Bubiana Conservancy. Honeyguide. 48(2): 190-197. Close ). Usually 2 eggs (1–3); incubation 42–44 days; chicks have first down dark grey with white belly and legs, second down white; elder chick usually kills younger sibling within few days of hatching; fledging 61–71 days.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Widespread throughout most open woodland and savanna areas of E, C and S Africa at densities of 1 pair/30–110 km², with estimated 200 pairs in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, and 1600 pairs in Transvaal, South Africa. Less common in Sahel and Guinea savanna of W Africa and steppes of SW Africa. Vulnerable to cutting of woodland, and persecuted in many areas for attacks on poultry; occasionally drowns in farm reservoirs (6 Anderson, M. D., A. W. A. Maritz, and E. Oosthuysen (1999) Raptors drowning in farm reservoirs in South Africa. Ostrich 70:139–144. Close ). Not known to be affected by pesticides. Populations perhaps declining from removal of large trees and direct persecution, but no hard data on global numbers or population trends (1 Ferguson-Lees, J., and D. A. Christie (2001). Raptors of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).