As their name
implies, African Fish Eagles are indigenous to Africa, ranging over most of
continental Africa south of the southern-most edge of the Sahara Desert. It is the national
bird of Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The African Fish
Eagle can be seen flying throughout the Kenyan parks skies and is known by many
different names, in many different languages. This beautiful animal, a fairly
large eagle and can be identified by its distinctive black, brown and white
plumage.
Its habitat is
usually limited to fresh water lakes, larger rivers, reservoirs and dams,
with enough large trees for it to perch on. These eagles are also found
near coastal lagoons and estuaries, but are absent in very arid areas. The nest
consists of a large pile of sticks, 120 to 180 cm in diameter, and 30 to 60 cm
thick. It is usually build in the fork of a tree, near water, but also
sometimes on a cliff ledge or in a low bush on a steep slope.
The African Fish
Eagle is usually seen in pairs, whether it is inside or outside of their breeding
season. Breeding season for African Fish Eagles is during the dry season, when
water levels are low. African Fish Eagles are believed to mate for life. The
female lays 1 to 3 eggs, which are primarily white with a few reddish speckles.
Incubation is mostly done by the female, but the male will incubate when the
female leaves to hunt. Incubation lasts for 42 to 45 days before the chicks
hatch. Fledging lasts for 70 to 75 days, and after about 8 weeks the chick is
capable of feeding itself and will usually begin to venture outside of the nest
2 weeks later.
They evenly share
the kills made by either between the two of them. As its name suggests, its
main diet consists mostly of fish, sometimes dead, but mostly caught live. They
are able to catch fish up to 1 kg in weight and in some exceptional
circumstances up to 3 kg. It is also known to eat carrion and in some rare
circumstances will even feed off dassies, monkeys, monitor lizards, frogs,
terrapins and insects. Hunting takes place from where the eagle is perched and
rarely whiles it is soaring in the sky. Stooping at fish, African Fish Eagle
will catch their pray with their feet, usually within 15 cm of the water
surface. They may also submerge at times. The best places to see this
magnificent bird is in Amboseli national
park, Tsavo national park , Maasai Mara game reserve,lake Baringo and
Nakuru National parks as well as around Lake Naivasha.
Kenya safaris desk
Natural Track Safaris