African fish eagle

Icthyophaga vocifer · The African fish eagle is a large eagle found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water with plenty of food occur.

Also called African sea eagle.

African fish eagle
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0
African fish eagle
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0
African fish eagle
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderAccipitriformes
FamilyAccipitridae
GenusIcthyophaga
SpeciesIcthyophaga vocifer

Where it lives

Lakes, rivers and coasts south of the Sahara.

Fun facts

  • If an African fish eagle catches a fish too heavy to fly with, it drops into the water and paddles to the nearest shore using its wings.
  • African fish eagles have special toe structures called spiricules that help them grip slippery fish.
  • African fish eagles are believed to mate for life, and their reused nests can grow up to 2.0 m across and 1.2 m deep.
  • African fish eagles sometimes steal fish from other birds, including pelicans, kingfishers and ospreys, a habit called kleptoparasitism.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).