Project Description

Animal Name: African Fish Eagle
Scientific Name: Haliaeetus Vocifer
Tour: Addo River Safari

Diet Description: Their main food is fish, sometimes dead, but mostly caught live. Catfish and lungfish are among the most frequent. They also catch and eat some water birds, including their young. The birds most frequently taken include ibis, storks, herons and spoonbills and especially the Lesser Flamingo. They also eat some carrion. Live caught fish account for about 90% of their diet.

Habitat: The African Fish Eagle is usually seen in pairs inside and outside the breeding season, even sharing kills made by either of them. They spend more time perched than flying, and usually settle for the day by mid morning.

Distribution: Widespread in South Africa, the African Fish Eagle is particularly common in and around some of the Rift Valley lakes.

Reproduction: The breeding display consists of much soaring and calling with very occasional claw-grappling. Typical eagles, their nest is used year after year, growing with the addition of new material each year. One to three white eggs are laid at three day intervals. Incubation lasts about 44 days and the young fledge after 65-75 days.