Bateleur Eagle

Scientific Name:

• Terathopius ecaudatus.

Distribution:

• Throughout Africa south of the Sahara, occasionally wandering to South Arabia.

Habitat:

• Open woodlands and tree savannas.

Diet:

• Mainly carrion; also reptiles, mammals, and small birds.

Behavior:

• Bateleur eagles have a strange “mood ring” adaption where blood with rush towards or away from their face to express their mood. Sort of like when humans get embarrassed we blush; and when we get scared we turn paler. Normal happy color for Bateleurs is red; breeding color is purple; and nervous or afraid is yellow.
• Monogamous; build large stick nests in trees or on top of nests built by other birds; female lays 1 egg; incubation is 52-59 days; young fledges in 3-4 months, but may spend up to 4 more months with parents.
• Best known for their spectacular aerial displays. “Bateleur” translates to acrobat in French.

Identification:

• Adult male’s head and neck black; back, upper-tail coverts and tail chestnut; median and lesser-wing coverts brown with whitish tips; greater coverts black; primaries black above, pure white below with a black tip; body below black, under-tail coverts chestnut; under-wing coverts white.
• Bare skin of face, cere, and legs – bright red; eyes brown; very short tails and long wings; develop adult plumage at 5-6 years.
• Female similar to male, but whole of upper-wing coverts brown with grey secondaries, with white on inner web; black tips on white underside of wing quills narrower than those of the male.