Dave Taylor's African Safari: Trophic Level IV: Large Carnivores - Martial Eagle

Trophic Level IV: Large Carnivores
Martial Eagle
Page 5

Polemaetus bellicosus

Length: 80 cm (31") Wing span: 1.9m (6')

Status: Common in parks and protected areas but declining outside these areas.

Habitat: Martial eagles are found up to an altitude of 2 400 meters (7,800 feet). They hunt over grasslands, arid thornbush and wooded savannas.

Food: Africa's largest eagle (weighing 6 kg or 13 pounds) takes a wide variety of prey. Included in its diet are dikdiks, impala calves, mongooses, hyrax, ground squirrels, Egyptian geese, guineafowl and monitor lizards.

They soar over the plains searching for movement from a height of a kilometer or more ( .6 miles). When game is spotted, the bird swoops and drops quickly, coming in low across the tree tops until it grabs its prey.

Social System/ Behavior: Pairs of martial eagles occupy large territories that may be 100 to 150 square kilometers (39 to 58 square miles) in area. Here, they nest and raise their young. Martial eagles nest about once every two years.

The nest is made of sticks and is located up to 6 meters (20 feet) on top of an isolated tree. A single egg is laid. It takes 48 days to hatch. Most of the incubation is done by the male.

Sexes can be distinguished by their size. Males are smaller than females. The larger female is darker than the male and her chest is much more spotted. Juveniles take five years to grow the plumage of the adult birds.

Predators: Very few species prey on this eagle. It is at the top of the daytime food chain and occupies the same niche as the eagle owl.

Select a Page:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10