Rare eagle captured on camera at Korsman Conservancy
An "excellent sighting" of a long-crested eagle was photographed at the Korsman Conservancy on Sunday, March 15.
Farrarmere resident Werner van Goethem, who is a member of the East Rand branch of the Witwatersrand Bird Club, photographed the bird between 4.50pm and 5.10pm.
The owner and founder of the Linksfield-based Bateleur Raptor and Rescue Centre, Lorna Stanton, said the excellent sighting is rare for the area.
“For us in Gauteng it is a really unusual sighting,” said Stanton.
The eagle predominantly feeds on vlei rats, and is found in areas where there is water and blue gum trees.
In Stanton’s 38 years of conservation of birds of prey, she has only housed five long-crested eagle at her rehabilitation centre.
She said the raptors are becoming more prevalent in Gauteng, but is not sure why.
Stanton said the bird, which she suspects is female, should have a mate in the area.
She also added that people can sleep at ease at night because the raptor does not pose a danger to their cats and dogs.
