Fish Eagle

Life span..................
Weight.....................
Wingspan.................
Length ......................
Amount of eggs laid.
Hatching...................
Youngsters fly at......
Mating time..............

: 10-15 years
: Male 2,3kg Female 3,2kg
: Male 1,9m Female 2,3m
: 810 mm
: 1-3 white
: After 6-7 weeks
: 9-11 weeks
: North Africa - Oct/Nov
Equator - June-Sept
South Africa - March-Sept

Their gull-like laughing call is an hunting cry, it also helps to keep them in contact with their mates, and tells other Eagles this is their territory. The male has a different call pitch then that of the female. Their nest is made of sticks, lined with grass, often in a dead tree. The mother spend most of the first 6 weeks with the chicks, but after 6 weeks accompany her mate on hunting trips.

Adult African fish Eagles makes low level attacks on their prey, and because they are white underneath, their lack of camouflage is not disadvantage. It will take its prey out of the water with its powerful talons, and can pluck a fish half as long as a man's arm from the water. Although fish Eagles mainly hunt in fresh water, if they are close to the coast, will hunt in the sea as well. Sometimes they will take young birds from water bird colonies such as flamingo's Herons and cormorants, and will steal fish from birds such as stork and cormorants.

They can dive into the water after a fish, and submerge completely, but will not swim under water. They will only have their full plumage at around 4 years of age. Courting will take place in the air, with their talons locked and wings spread, and plummeting almost to the ground before separating.