African Fish Eagle

Appearance

In this case, the females grow larger than the males, but otherwise they do not differ from them. The males weigh on average 2 to 2.5 kilograms, the females 1 kilogram more. Important features of the birds are their dark plumage on the back and wings, with the neck and head being completely white. Furthermore, the beak and legs should be mentioned, which have a light to dark yellow color, with the beak having a black tip. Finally, another important distinguishing feature of the African fish eagle is its cry, of which there are two different forms.

Lifestyle

Where is the habitat of these birds? In order to observe their territory well, the African fish eagles usually sit on tall trees or other vantage points. Here they also build their nests or eat their prey. It is particularly important that there is a body of water nearby, as this is the main hunting ground of the eagles. They can be found throughout Africa south of the Sahara. According to the latest counts, the population of African fish eagles is large enough and thus these animals do not belong to the endangered species, which is mainly due to the fact that humans do not hunt them and they have no natural enemies.

Diet

The diet of African fish eagles consists mainly of fish, which they catch in a dive with their strong and sharp talons. But smaller water birds, such as ibises or storks, are also on the menu of these eagles. If there is nothing else to eat, for example because the rivers have too little water, sea snakes, crocodiles or carrion are also not spurned.