Conservationists celebrate spotting of rare juvenile crowned eagle in Umdloti

Conservationists and twitchers are thrilled at the discovery of an untagged juvenile crowned eagle in Umdloti.

Bella Riding School manager Jordyn Burne said the bird has been frequenting the leafy Bellamont Stables grounds since December. Although it has taken some of her chickens, Burne appreciates the significance of the protected raptor’s presence.

“It has been here every day and is most active in the early mornings and late afternoons,” she said.

Initially unsure of the identification due to the number of harrier hawks and other birds in the area, Burne later learned the visitor was a crowned eagle. It is often described as Africa’s most powerful raptor and listed as Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

READ: Conservationists push to protect vulnerable African crowned eagle | North Coast Courier

Biodiversity consultant Richard McKibbin said habitat loss remains the biggest threat to the species in KZN, as urban expansion encroaches on natural greenbelts, destroying nesting and hunting areas. He noted that only a handful of nests exist in the greater Ballito area, and these are carefully monitored, with birds tagged and tracked for research.

“Nest locations are closely guarded, and because crowned eagles typically breed only every second year due to their long post-fledgling dependency period, their breeding cycle can extend to 500 days,” said McKibbin.

“This results in a very slow reproductive turnover, with few juveniles successfully reaching independence each year. On their journey to independence, they face threats such as electrocution, shootings and window and vehicle collisions.”

Understanding juvenile dispersal is critical, he noted, which makes the Umdloti discovery significant. Once they outgrow the nest, young eagles move away from established territories, but researchers do not yet know how far they travel.

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McKibbin compared the situation to leopard conservation, where animals often move beyond protected reserves. One leopard collared in Phinda Game Reserve was tracked to Sodwana, then into the Lebombo Mountains in Eswatini, before being caught in a snare and killed in northern Eswatini near the Kruger Park.

He said one monitored juvenile crowned eagle has travelled more than 200km since dispersing last year, underscoring the importance of green corridors outside formal reserves.

Based on photographs, McKibbin estimates the Umdloti bird hatched in spring 2024, making it about 15 to 18 months old. While opportunistic hunters, crowned eagles in this region favour prey such as dassies, hadedas, vervet monkeys and small antelope, particularly blue duiker.

Juveniles avoid adult territories and typically reach breeding age at four. With at least two years before settling, there is no telling how long Umdloti residents may enjoy this rare visitor.

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