18/12/2024
The African Fish Eagle, with its distinctive call and majestic presence, is a symbol of Africa's waterways. It is one of the iconic bird of prey in Kruger National Park.
The Fish Eagle has specialised talons with spiricules that help it to grasp slippery aquatic prey. The Fish eagle can catch and grasp fish up to ten times its body weight. If need be the Fish Eagle will drag its prey to the shoreline without taking off again from the water. It is a very determined bird.
From its perch at the top of trees, the eagle can dive at speeds of 200 – 322 km/h to catch its prey by its talons.
These birds build nests that may stretch to lengths of up to two meters. During the dry seasons, the African fish eagle couples return to the nests they used before and mate for life.
The wingspan varies depends on the s*x and can reach 2.4 metres.
They are usually seen in pairs, thought to mate for life, the female can be told apart from the male as she is the larger and has a larger white breast patch. Their breeding season occurs during the drier months
As a top predator along waterways, the African Fish Eagle helps regulate fish populations, contributing to the overall health of aquatic ecosystems. Its presence is an indicator of the water's vitality and the abundance of fish stocks.