The African Fish Eagle which is scientifically known as the Haliaeetus vocifer, is a large sea eagle species found throughout the Sub Saharan Africa from where the large water bodies do occur. It inhabits areas ranging from Mali, Sudan, Mauritania,Chad, Niger and Eritrea in the North and SouthAfrica, Bostwana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and Sierra Leeone.

This bird species is the National bird of Zambia and Namibia in the South Western Africa and it can be found between the Latitudes of 17 degrees North and 35 degrees South. The adult African Fish Eagle is usually sedentary although it moves in response to the changing environmental conditions such as flooding events and drought. 

Physical description of the African Fish Eagle

African Fish Eagle is a readily recognizable large raptor measuring about 2 to 3.6 kilograms in mass and about 63 to 77 centimeters in length. This bird species features a pure white head, neck, chest and tail hence having a largely bare and yellowish face.

The Fish Eagle is characterised with black secondaries and primaries and a dark chestnut brown body. It comprises of long and broad wings spanning from 175 to 210 centimeters hence having a rounded and fairly short tail.

This Eagle bird species has yellow feet and dark eyes and generally the female Fish Eagle is slightly larger and bulkier than the male Eagle species and has a life span ranging between 16 and 24 years while in the wild.

Juvenile African Fish Eagle features mostly brown plumage baring white feathers which are scattered throughout in no particular pattern. It comprises of white patched chest, primary bases and at the base of the tail hence having a dull grayish face and alonger tail than in adults thereby being quite different from the adult African Fish Eagle species. 

Behaviour of the African Fish Eagle

The fish Eagles oftenly do move in pairs and are always perched on horizontal branches that are over hanging or near a water body. It is a diurnal bird species which spends most of its time surveying the area.

During the hunting period, the Fish Eagle spends  less than 10 minutes a day fishing unless when raising young ones. The juvenile African Fish Eagle are seen around fisheries in groups of 30s and during times of food scarcity or extreme food concentration, the density of this bird species can reach high in numbers.

This Fish Eagle species do communicate vocally with members of the same species and other avian competitors to maintain and protect territories. The African Fish Eagle produces a loud, distinctive and far carrying “weeah kyow-kow-kow” calls  while throwing the head back and the male has higher pitched calls compared to female Fish Eagles.

This bird species dwells primarily along water bodies that include lakes, mangrove lagoons, flood plains, swamps, estuaries and coasts and also observed at up to 4000 meters of elevation. 

Breeding and reproduction process of the African Fish Eagle

During the breeding process, the African Fish Eagle performs different courtship displays that include swooping, calling and aerial diving. However in most cases the pair locks talons hence performing a whirling dive together.

The breeding period of the African Fish Eagle is seasonal which takes place once in a year  and the bird species is monogamous and most often mate for life, however it also varries according to the location of the African fish Eagle.

Therefore, this bird species breeds most of the months along the Equator and both  partners do participate in the construction of the  breeding Nest which is lined with leaves, reeds, grass, and papyrus and always has a diameter of about 120 to 150 centimeters  and placed in smooth barked and acacia trees.

Female African Fish Eagle usually lays two eggs during the reproduction process, however a clutch may have a maxium size ranging from one to four eggs. Incubation of the laid eggs is done by both partners and hatching takes a period of 42 to 45 days and here only one chick survives as a result of siblicide.

The chicks are taken care of by both parents where by the male does hunting and provides food to the mother and the chicks hence fledging of the young ones occurs between 64 to 75 days after hatching and the y become totally independent from their parents after six to eight weeks.