Bateleur
This bird belongs to the species of snake eagles and is particularly noticeable for its black, glossy plumage. On the neck, head and upper breast, you can see a scale-like pattern created by lighter tips on the feathers.
Appearance
It belongs to the species of snake eagles and is particularly noticeable due to its black, glossy plumage. On the neck, head, and upper chest, you can observe a scale-like pattern created by lighter tips on the feathers. Another characteristic of the bird is its orange beak, which has a black tip that tapers to a point and curves downward.
The bateleur can reach a body length of 65 centimeters, a wingspan of 180 centimeters, and a weight of up to 3.5 kilograms. The female is usually larger than the male and also has lighter (almost gray) flight feathers. The final important identifying feature of the bateleur is its flight shape, which, from a ground perspective, resembles a drawn bow.
Behavior
What is the behavior of bateleurs and where is their habitat in Africa? What is special about these eagles is that they spend almost the entire day in the air, where they search for prey. They rarely flap their wings and instead allow themselves to be carried by warm updrafts, reaching speeds of up to 80 km/h. It is not uncommon for a bateleur to cover a distance of 500 kilometers in a single day.
Range
The birds themselves are very social animals, so they can be found in groups of up to four dozen individuals. The range of the bateleur extends from Central Africa (south of the Sahara), across East Africa, to South Africa. The preferred habitats are savannas with few trees, forests, or coastal strips—anywhere where the colony or individual birds can find enough food.
