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Polemaetus bellicosus (Martial
eagle)
Breëkoparend [Afrikaans]; Ukhozi (generic term for eagle)
[Xhosa]; isiHuhwa (also applied to African crowned eagle), uKhozi [Zulu];
Ngongo gepampa [Kwangali]; Gondo (generic name for eagle) [Shona];
Lusotilolukhulu [Swazi]; Rikhozi (generic term for some raptors) [Tsonga];
Ntsu, Ntswi (generic terms for eagles) [Tswana]; Vechtarend [Dutch]; Aigle
martial [French]; Kampfadler [German]; Águia-marcial [Portuguese]
Life
> Eukaryotes >
Opisthokonta
> Metazoa (animals) >
Bilateria >
Deuterostomia > Chordata >
Craniata > Vertebrata (vertebrates) > Gnathostomata (jawed
vertebrates) > Teleostomi (teleost fish) > Osteichthyes (bony fish) > Class:
Sarcopterygii (lobe-finned
fish) > Stegocephalia (terrestrial
vertebrates) > Tetrapoda
(four-legged vertebrates) > Reptiliomorpha > Amniota >
Reptilia (reptiles) >
Romeriida > Diapsida > Archosauromorpha > Archosauria >
Dinosauria
(dinosaurs) > Saurischia > Theropoda (bipedal predatory dinosaurs) >
Coelurosauria > Maniraptora > Aves
(birds) > Order: Falconiformes
> Family: Accipitridae
Distribution and habitat
Occupies much of sub-Saharan Africa excluding the lowland
of West Africa and the DRC, otherwise occurring from Senegal to Ethiopia south
to southern Africa. Here it is widespread but uncommon, generally preferring
flat, open woodland, such as savanna, forest edges and drainage woodland in
shrubland, also moving into open farmland with stands of trees.
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Distribution of Martial eagle in southern Africa,
based on statistical smoothing of the records from first SA Bird Atlas
Project (©
Animal Demography unit, University of
Cape Town; smoothing by Birgit Erni and Francesca Little). Colours range
from dark blue (most common) through to yellow (least common).
See here for the latest distribution
from the SABAP2. |
Movements and migrations
Mainly resident, although adults and especially
immature birds may wander widely.
Food
It eats a variety of animals, especially birds, mammals and
reptiles, although the relative proportion of these groups in its diet varies
greatly in different areas. It does most of its hunting aerially, soaring high
in the air so that it can spot prey up to 6 km away; once it finds something it
descends in a long swoop, dropping to the ground with wings and tail spread (as
in the top photo above) and striking the prey. Small animals are usually killed
by the impact, but larger prey may be strangled. The following food items have been recorded
in its diet:
- Mammals
- Birds
- Reptiles
- Varanus exanthematicus (Rock monitor)
- Varanus niloticus (Nile monitor)
-
Naja annulifera (Snouted cobra)
- terrapins
- tortoises
Breeding
- Monogamous, territorial solitary nester, with a pair bond that often lasts
several breeding seasons.
- The nest (see image below) is mainly built by the female over 2-3 weeks,
consisting of a large platform of sticks with a cup lined with leaves;
usually about 1.5-2.0 metres wide and 0.5 metres deep, but if used many
times it can be even deeper. It is typically placed in a major fork below
the canopy of a large tree, especially Knob thorn (Acacia nigrescens)
and Camel thorn (Acacia erioloba), although it may also use a
high-tension pylon instead.
- Egg-laying season is from February-August, peaking from April-June.
- It almost invariably lays a single egg, which is mainly incubated by the
female for about 48-53 days.
- The chick is brooded almost constantly by the female for the first 2-3
weeks of its life, after which she starts to assist the male with hunting to
provide for their young. It typically leaves the nest at about 90-109 days
old, although male chicks may leave at just 75 days old. The fledgling
continues to roost in the nest for another 3-8 months, all the while being
fed mainly by the female, leaving its parent's territory at the start of the
following breeding season.
Threats
Not threatened globally but Vulnerable in South
Africa and Endangered in Namibia, due to a decreasing population largely
due to persecution on farmlands.
References
-
Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ and Ryan PG 2005. Roberts
- Birds of southern Africa, VIIth ed. The Trustees of the John Voelcker
Bird Book Fund, Cape Town.
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