African fish eagle

Last updated

African fish eagle
African fish eagle, Haliaeetus vocifer, at Chobe National Park, Botswana (33516612831).jpg
Eagle at Chobe National Park, Botswana
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Icthyophaga
Species:
I. vocifer
Binomial name
Icthyophaga vocifer
(Daudin, 1800)
Icthyophaga vocifer distribution map.svg

The African fish eagle (Icthyophaga vocifer) or the African sea eagle is a large species of eagle found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply occur. It is the national bird of Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. As a result of its large range, it is known in many languages. [3] Examples of names include: Vis Arend in Afrikaans, nkwazi in Chewa, aigle pêcheur in French, [4] hungwe in Shona, inkwazi in isiZulu, and ntšhu in Northern Sotho. This species may resemble the bald eagle in appearance; though related, the two species occur on different continents, with the bald eagle being resident in North America.

Contents

Taxonomy

The African fish eagle is a species placed in the genus Icthyophaga (fish eagles). Its closest relative appears to be the critically endangered Madagascar fish eagle (I. vociferoides). Like all sea eagle species pairs, this one consists of a white-headed species (the African fish eagle) and a tan-headed one (Madagascar fish eagle). These are an ancient lineage of sea eagles; like other sea eagles, they have dark talons, beaks, and eyes [5] Both species have at least partially white tails even as juveniles. The vocifer is derived from its original genus name, so named by the French naturalist François Levaillant, who called it 'the vociferous one'. [6]

Description

African fish eagle in Lake Zway, Ethiopia African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) Ethiopia.jpg
African fish eagle in Lake Zway, Ethiopia

The African fish eagle is a large bird. The female, at 3.2–3.6 kg (7.1–7.9 lb) is larger than the male, at 2.0–2.5 kg (4.4–5.5 lb). This is typical sexual dimorphism in birds of prey. Males usually have wingspans around 2.0 m (6.6 ft), while females have wingspans of 2.4 m (7.9 ft). The body length is 63–75 cm (25–29.5 in). The adult is very distinctive in appearance with a mostly brown body with a white head like the bald eagle and large, powerful, black wings. The head, breast, and tail of African fish eagles are snow white, except for the featherless face, which is yellow. The eyes are dark brown in colour. The hook-shaped beak, ideal for a carnivorous lifestyle, is yellow with a black tip. The plumage of the juvenile is brown, and the eyes are paler than the adult's. The feet have rough soles and are equipped with powerful talons to enable the eagle to grasp slippery aquatic prey. While this species mainly subsists on fish, it is opportunistic and may take a wider variety of prey, such as waterbirds. Its distinctive cry is, for many, evocative of the spirit or essence of Africa. [7] [8] [9] The call, shriller when uttered by males, is a weee-ah, hyo-hyo or a heee-ah, heeah-heeah. [8]

Distribution and habitat

This species is still quite common near freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and rivers, although it can sometimes be found near the coast at the mouths of rivers or lagoons. African fish eagles are indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa, ranging over most of continental Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Several examples of places where they may be resident, include the Orange River in South Africa and Namibia, the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and Lake Malawi bordering Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique. The African fish eagle is thought to occur in substantial numbers around the locations of Lake Victoria and other large lakes in Central Africa, particularly the Rift Valley lakes. [10] This is a generalist species, requiring only open water with sufficient prey and a good perch, as evidenced by the number of habitat types in which this species may be found, including grasslands, swamps, marshes, tropical rainforests, fynbos, and even desert-bordering coastlines, [11] such as that of Namibia. The African fish eagle is absent from arid areas with little surface water.

Reproduction

African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) on nest.jpg
An adult on the nest in Lake Baringo, Kenya
Aigle Pecheur d'Afrique MHNT.jpg
Egg

African fish eagles breed during the dry season, when water levels are low. They are believed to mate for life. [12] [13] Pairs often maintain two or more nests, which they frequently reuse. Because nests are reused and built upon over the years, they can grow quite large, some reaching 2.0 m (6.5 ft) across and 1.2 m (3.9 ft) deep. The nests are placed in a large tree and are built mostly of sticks and other pieces of wood.

The female lays one to three eggs, which are primarily white with a few reddish speckles. Incubation is mostly done by the female, but the male incubates when the female leaves to hunt. Incubation lasts for 42 to 45 days before the chicks hatch. Siblicide does not normally occur in this taxon, and the parents often successfully rear two or three chicks. [14] Chicks fledge around 70 to 75 days old. Post-fledgling dependence lasts up to three months, whereafter the juveniles become nomadic and may congregate in groups away from territorial adults. [14] Those that survive their first year have a life expectancy of some 12 to 24 years. [12]

Diet

African fish eagle just caught fish.jpg
African fish eagle carrying off a catfish in Lake Baringo, Kenya
African fish eagle - immature - catches a fish (38184854171).jpg
A juvenile catching a fish
An African fish eagle feeding on its prey, likely a mudfish Labeo sp., in Kruger National Park, South Africa African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) eating a fish (Cyprinidae, probably a Mudfish, Labeo sp.) ... (33489445721).jpg
An African fish eagle feeding on its prey, likely a mudfish Labeo sp., in Kruger National Park, South Africa

The African fish eagle feeds mainly on fish, which it swoops down upon from a perch in a tree, snatching the prey from the water with its large, clawed talons. The eagle then flies back to its perch to eat its catch. Like other sea eagles, the African fish eagle has structures on its toes called spiricules that allow it to grasp fish and other slippery prey. The osprey, a winter visitor to Africa, also has this adaptation. African fish eagles usually catch fish around 200 to 1,000 g (0.44 to 2.20 lb), but fish up to 4,200 g (9.3 lb) can be taken. If it catches a fish too heavy to allow the eagle to sustain flight, it will drop into the water and paddle to the nearest shore with its wings. [15] Mullets and catfish ( Clarias ) are common prey, though various fish such as cichlids, tilapias ( Oreochromis ), lungfish ( Protopterus ), and characins can be also taken. [16] [17] [18] Even African Tigerfish (Hydrocynus vittatus) can be preyed upon by fish eagles, especially while predating barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) in flight. [19]

It also feeds on birds, especially waterbirds such as ducks, cormorants, grebes, darters, hatchlings of herons and egrets, [18] and greater and lesser flamingos. Other prey include small turtles and terrapins, baby crocodiles, Nile monitors, skinks, frogs, insects (especially termites), [20] and carrion. Occasionally, it may even take mammalian prey, such as hyrax, monkeys, rats, hares, and dik diks. [21] [17] [22] It has also been observed feeding on domestic fowl (chickens). The African fish eagle is known to steal the catch of other bird species, a practice known as kleptoparasitism. Targeted species are usually large wading birds such as Goliath herons, hammerkops, marabou storks, and shoebills, as well as kingfishers, pelicans, ospreys, and other fish eagles, which usually hunt large fish and take a long time to handle them. [21] [23] [18]

Relationship with humans

Conservation

This species is listed as least concern by the IUCN. [1] The estimated population size is about 300,000 individuals with a distribution area of 18,300,000 km2. [24]

Heraldry

In the form of the Zimbabwe Bird, it is the national bird of Zimbabwe and appears on the Zimbabwean flag. The bird also figures in the coats of arms of Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and South Sudan, and on the Zambian flag.[ citation needed ]

Mummies

Mummified examples of the African fish eagle have been found at the Necropolis at Elkab. [25]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bald eagle</span> Bird of prey species of North America

The bald eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle, which occupies the same niche as the bald eagle in the Palearctic. Its range includes most of Canada and Alaska, all of the contiguous United States, and northern Mexico. It is found near large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply and old-growth trees for nesting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eagle</span> Large carnivore bird

Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus Aquila. Most of the 68 species of eagles are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just 14 species can be found—two in North America, nine in Central and South America, and three in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-tailed eagle</span> Species of bird

The white-tailed eagle, sometimes known as the 'sea eagle', is a large bird of prey, widely distributed across temperate Eurasia. Like all eagles, it is a member of the family Accipitridae which also includes other diurnal raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers. One of up to eleven members in the genus Haliaeetus, which are commonly called sea eagles, it is also referred to as the white-tailed sea-eagle. Sometimes, it is known as the ern or erne, gray sea eagle and Eurasian sea eagle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-bellied sea eagle</span> Large diurnal bird of prey

The white-bellied sea eagle, also known as the white-breasted sea eagle, is a large diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Originally described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin in 1788, it is closely related to Sanford's sea eagle of the Solomon Islands, and the two are considered a superspecies. A distinctive bird, the adult white-bellied sea eagle has a white head, breast, under-wing coverts and tail. The upper parts are grey and the black under-wing flight feathers contrast with the white coverts. The tail is short and wedge-shaped as in all Haliaeetinae species. Like many raptors, the female is larger than the male, and can measure up to 90 cm (35 in) long with a wingspan of up to 2.2 m (7.2 ft), and weigh 4.5 kg (9.9 lb). Immature birds have brown plumage, which is gradually replaced by white until the age of five or six years. The call is a loud goose-like honking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoebill</span> Species of bird

The shoebill, also known as the whale-headed stork, and shoe-billed stork, is a large long-legged wading bird. It derives its name from its enormous shoe-shaped bill. It has a somewhat stork-like overall form and has previously been classified with the storks in the order Ciconiiformes based on this morphology. However, genetic evidence places it with pelicans and herons in the Pelecaniformes. The adult is mainly grey while the juveniles are more brown. It lives in tropical East Africa in large swamps from South Sudan to Zambia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African hawk-eagle</span> Species of bird

The African hawk-eagle is a large bird of prey. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. This species' feathered legs mark it as a member of the Aquilinae subfamily. The African hawk-eagle breeds in tropical Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a bird of assorted woodland, including both savanna and hilly areas but the tend to occur in woodland that is typically dry. The species tends to be rare in areas where their preferred habitat type is absent. This species builds a stick nest of around 1 m (3.3 ft) across in a large tree. The clutch is generally one or two eggs. The African hawk-eagle is powerfully built and hunts small to medium sized mammals and birds predominantly, occasionally taking reptiles and other prey as well. The call is a shrill kluu-kluu-kluu. The African hawk-eagle is considered a fairly stable species and a species of Least Concern per the IUCN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-headed fish eagle</span> Species of bird

The grey-headed fish eagle is a fish-eating bird of prey from Southeast Asia. It is a large stocky raptor with adults having dark brown upper body, grey head and lighter underbelly and white legs. Juveniles are paler with darker streaking. It is often confused with the lesser fish eagle and the Pallas's fish eagle. The lesser fish eagle is similar in plumage but smaller and the Pallas's fish eagle shares the same habitat and feeding behaviour but is larger with longer wings and darker underparts. Is often called tank eagle in Sri Lanka due to its fondness for irrigation tanks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tawny eagle</span> Species of bird

The tawny eagle is a large bird of prey. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Its heavily feathered legs mark it as a member of the subfamily Aquilinae, also known as booted eagles. Tawny eagles have an extensive but discontinuous breeding range that constitutes much of the African continent as well as the Indian subcontinent, with rare residency in the southern Middle East. Throughout its range, it favours open dry habitats such as semideserts, deserts steppes, or savanna plains. Despite its preference for arid areas, the species seldom occurs in areas where trees are entirely absent. It is a resident breeder which lays one to three eggs in a stick nest most commonly in the crown of a tree. The tawny eagle is perhaps the most highly opportunistic of all Aquilinae, and often scavenges on carrion or engages in kleptoparasitism towards other carnivorous animals but is also a bold and active predator, often of relatively large and diverse prey. It is estimated that tawny eagles can reach the age of 16 years old. Nonetheless, precipitous declines have been detected throughout the tawny eagle's range. Numerous factors, particularly loss of nesting habitat due to logging and global warming, as well as persecution and other anthropogenic mortality are driving the once numerous tawny eagle perhaps to the brink of extinction.

Tigerfish can refer to fish from various families, and derives from official and colloquial associations of these with the tiger. However, the primary species designated by the name "tigerfish" are African and belong to the family Alestidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madagascar fish eagle</span> Species of bird

The Madagascar fish eagle or Madagascar sea-eagle, is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards and harriers. It is endemic to the coastal strip in the northwest of Madagascar. It is about 63 cm (25 in) long and has a pale brown head, dark brown body and white tail. The Madagascar fish eagle has been suffering from a declining population and is threatened by habitat destruction and persecution, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being "critically endangered".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steller's sea eagle</span> Bird of prey species native to East Asia

Steller's sea eagle, also known as Pacific sea eagle or white-shouldered eagle, is a very large diurnal bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It was described first by Peter Simon Pallas in 1811. No subspecies are recognised. A sturdy eagle, it has dark brown plumage with white wings and tail, a yellow beak, and yellow talons. Typically, it is the heaviest eagle in the world, at about 5 to 10 kg, but in some standard measurements, may be ranked below the harpy eagle and the Philippine eagle. Steller's sea eagle females are bigger than males.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pallas's fish eagle</span> Species of bird

Pallas's fish eagle, also known as Pallas's sea eagle or band-tailed fish eagle, is a large, brownish sea eagle. It breeds in the east Palearctic in Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, China, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan. It is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is partially migratory, with Central Asian birds wintering among the southern Asian birds in northern India, and also further west to the Persian Gulf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martial eagle</span> Species of bird

The martial eagle is a large eagle native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the only member of the genus Polemaetus. A species of the booted eagle subfamily (Aquilinae), it has feathers over its tarsus. One of the largest and most powerful species of booted eagle, it is a fairly opportunistic predator that varies its prey selection between mammals, birds and reptiles. It is one of few eagle species known to hunt primarily from a high soar, by stooping on its quarry. This species, an inhabitant of wooded belts of otherwise open savanna, has shown a precipitous decline in the last few centuries due to a variety of factors. The martial eagle is one of the most persecuted bird species in the world. Due to its habit of taking livestock and regionally valuable game, local farmers and game wardens frequently seek to eliminate martial eagles, although the effect of eagles on this prey is almost certainly considerably exaggerated. Currently, the martial eagle is classified with the status of Endangered by the IUCN.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bateleur</span> Species of bird

The bateleur, also known as the bateleur eagle, is a medium-sized eagle in the family Accipitridae. It is often considered a relative of the snake eagles and, like them, it is classified within the subfamily Circaetinae. It is the only member of the genus Terathopius and may be the origin of the "Zimbabwe Bird", the national emblem of Zimbabwe. Adult bateleurs are generally black in colour with a chestnut colour on the mantle as well as also on the rump and tail. Adults also have gray patches about the leading edges of the wings with bright red on their cere and their feet. Adults also show white greater coverts, contrasting with black remiges in males, gray patches on the underwing primaries and black wingtips. The juvenile bateleur is quite different, being largely drab brown with a bit of paler feather scaling. All bateleurs have extremely large heads for their size, rather small bills, large feet, relatively short legs, long, bow-like wings and uniquely short tails, which are much smaller still on adults compared to juvenile birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesser fish eagle</span> Species of bird

The lesser fish eagle is a species of Icthyophaga found in the Indian subcontinent, primarily in the foothills of the Himalayas, and south-east Asia. There are records from Gujarat, Central India and in more recent times from the Kaveri river valley in southern India, although the south Indian records are now thought to come from an isolated population, disjunct from the species' normal range. Some taxonomic authorities place this species in the monotypic genus Icthyophaga. Others place it in the genus Haliaeetus.

Sanford's sea eagle, also known as Sanford's fish eagle or the Solomon eagle, is a sea eagle endemic to the Solomon Islands archipelago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown snake eagle</span> Species of bird

The brown snake eagle is a fairly large species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is found in West, East and southern Africa. This species is an almost obligate predator of a variety of snakes. A very solitary bird, the brown snake eagle has a prolonged breeding cycle and raises a single eaglet. Although probably naturally scarce, it is classified as a least concern species as it continues to occur over a very broad range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pel's fishing owl</span> Species of owl

Pel's fishing owl is a large species of owl in the family Strigidae, found in Africa. It lives near rivers and lakes, and feeds nocturnally on fish and frogs snatched from the surface of lakes and rivers. The species prefers slow-moving rivers with large, overhanging trees to roost in and forage from. It nests in hollows and the forks of large trees. Though as many as two eggs are laid, often only one chick is raised.

<i>Hydrocynus goliath</i> Species of fish

Hydrocynus goliath, also known as the goliath tigerfish, giant tigerfish, or mbenga, is a very large African predatory freshwater fish of the family Alestidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crowned eagle</span> Species of bird

The crowned eagle, also known as the African crowned eagle or the crowned hawk-eagle, is a large bird of prey found in sub-Saharan Africa; in Southern Africa, it is restricted to more easterly areas. Its preferred habitats are principally riparian woodlands and various forests. The crowned eagle is the only extant member of the genus Stephanoaetus. A second species, the Malagasy crowned eagle, went extinct after early humans settled on Madagascar.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2020). "Haliaeetus vocifer". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T22695115A174556979. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22695115A174556979.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. ↑ "African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) - Birds.com: Online Birds Guide with Facts, Articles, Videos, and Photos". Birds.com. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
  4. ↑ "African Fish Eagle videos, photos and facts - Haliaeetus vocifer". ARKive. Archived from the original on 2012-12-27. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
  5. ↑ Wink, M.; Heidrich, P.; Fentzloff, C. (1996). "A mtDNA phylogeny of sea eagles (genus Haliaeetus) based on nucleotide sequences of the cytochrome b gene" (PDF). Biochemical Systematics and Ecology. 24 (7–8): 783–791. Bibcode:1996BioSE..24..783W. doi:10.1016/S0305-1978(96)00049-X.
  6. ↑ Fourie, Pieter J (2010). Media Studies: Policy, Management and Media Representation. Juta and Company Ltd. p. 370. ISBN   978-0-7021-7675-3.
  7. ↑ "African fish eagle - Wilkinson's World". wilkinsonsworld.com. 14 February 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  8. 1 2 "Fish Eagle". The Booking Company. Archived from the original on 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
  9. ↑ "Art Of The Wild by Roger Brown.: Cry of the African Fish Eagle". Artofthewildrogerbrown.blogspot.com. 2011-05-10. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
  10. ↑ "African Fish Eagle {Haliaeetus vocifer}". Sa-venues.com. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
  11. ↑ "BBC Nature - African fish eagle videos, news and facts". Bbc.co.uk. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
  12. 1 2 Wildscreen. "African Fish Eagle". eol.org. Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  13. ↑ Orban, David. "Haliaeetus vocifer African fish eagle". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  14. 1 2 Botha, André; et al. (2012). Eagles and Farmers (PDF). Birds of Prey Programme, Endangered Wildlife Trust. ISBN   978-0-620-11147-8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  15. ↑ Kemp, A. C. and J. S. Marks (2020). African Fish-Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.affeag1.01
  16. ↑ Whitfield, A. K. & Blaber, S. J. M. 1978. Feeding ecology of piscivorous birds at Lake St Lucia, Part 1: Diving birds. Ostrich 49:185-198.
  17. 1 2 STEWART, KATHLYN, et al. "Prey diversity and selectivity of the African fish eagle: data from a roost in northern Kenya." African Journal of Ecology 35.2 (1997): 133-145.
  18. 1 2 3 "Haliaeetus vocifer (African fish eagle)". Animal Diversity Web .
  19. ↑ O'Brien, G. C., et al. "First observation of African tigerfish Hydrocynus vittatus predating on barn swallows Hirundo rustica in flight." Journal of fish biology 84.1 (2014): 263-266.
  20. ↑ "African Fish Eagle | the Peregrine Fund".
  21. 1 2 "The African fish eagle". Encounter.co.za. Archived from the original on 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
  22. ↑ Sumba, Seraphine JA. The biology of the African fish eagle with special reference to breeding in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda. Diss. 1983.
  23. ↑ John, Jasson, and Woo Lee. "Kleptoparasitism of Shoebills Balaeniceps rex by African Fish Eagles Haliaeetus vocifer in Western Tanzania." Tanzania Journal of Science 45.2 (2019): 131-143.
  24. ↑ "African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) - BirdLife species factsheet". Birdlife.org. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
  25. ↑ Gautier, Achilles (2005). "Animal Mummies and Remains from the Necropolis of Elkab (Upper Egypt)". archaeofauna. 14: 139–170. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.