- Hieraaetus spilogaster
Aquila spilogaster
Identification
Distribution
Widespread throughout Africa south of the Sahara:
Western Africa: Mauritania, Senegambia, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Angola
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, Swaziland
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species, which in the past was included in Bonelli's Eagle.
Aquila vs. Hieraaetus
Hieraaetus species are sometimes placed in a broader defined Aquila (e.g. Clements, 2005). Sibley & Monroe (1996) and Howard & Moore (2003) retain the placement in Hieraaetus, and the Opus awaits further clarification.
Habitat
This bird prefers acacia scrub in rocky areas at low to medium elevations. They especially favour wooded water-courses in such areas.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on mammals such as the African Hare along with gamebirds eg guineafowl or francolins.
Breeding
Nests in trees or on cliffs and tends to perch conspicuously in trees.
References
- Avibase
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) African Hawk-Eagle. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 12 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/African_Hawk-Eagle
