African Hawk-Eagle
Aquila spilogaster
- Class
- Bird
- Rarity
- Common
- Observations
- 1,303
- Most observed in
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Description
The African hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster) is a large bird of prey. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. This species' feathered legs mark it as a member of the Aquilinae subfamily. The African hawk-eagle breeds in tropical Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a bird of assorted woodland, including both savanna and hilly areas, but they tend to occur in woodland that is typically dry. The species tends to be rare in areas where their preferred habitat type is absent. This species builds a stick nest of around 1 m (3.3 ft) across in a large tree. The clutch is generally one or two eggs. The African hawk-eagle is powerfully built and hunts small to medium-sized mammals and birds predominantly, occasionally taking reptiles and other prey as well. The call is a shrill kluu-kluu-kluu. The African hawk-eagle is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, but a study in 2024 showed that this species is experiencing a severe population decline of ~91%, suggesting it be listed as critically endangered.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “African hawk-eagle”.