Africa’s largest eagle: The martial eagle
Martial eagles are the largest of the African eagles and incredibly powerful, capable of knocking an adult man off his feet.
Martial eagles are shy and avoids humans. They are seen either solitary or in pairs. These massive eagles are fairly common residents in game reserves, but rare in farming areas and is considered a RDB (Red Data Book) bird.
They like woodland, savanna, or grassland with clumps of large trees or power pylons for nest sites.
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They soar to great heights, hunting by scanning the ground below while in flight or from a perch on a dead tree or power pylon. They stoop in a shallow dive.
Food preferences are birds, especially gamebirds, waterfowl, and storks. Mammals like goats, small antelope, mongooses, hares and dassies are also taken, as well as reptiles.
The martial eagle is usually silent but has a rapid “klooee – klooee – klooee” when displaying.
Breeding takes place from February to August. The nest is a large basin of sticks lined with leaves in the fork of a large tree from five to 30m above ground. One chalky white or pale green speckled egg is laid. The incubation lasts 47 to 51 days and the nesting period is 96 to 99 days.
The chick is dependent on parents for up to eight months after their first flight. The isiZulu name is isiHuhwa and in Afrikaans die breekoparend.
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