This eagle is essentially a forest eagle, with widespread distribution from the deciduous forests of the Lower Shire to the evergreen forests of the highlands, including Ntchisi Mountain and the Nyika. It chooses the tallest canopy tree in which to nest.
Shy and unobtrusive, it is most likely to be seen high in aerial display over its forest territory. Its repetitive call, rising and falling in pitch, is a ringing kewick-kewick-kewick, while the female has a lower pitched koowie-koowie-koowie.
Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus (Chichewa: Chiombankhanga = “firer at guineafowls”! Yao: Nyanga. Tumbuka / Nkhonde: Nombo ).
The Martial Eagle is worthy of its name, being powerful and rapacious. It is Africa’s largest eagle, weighing up to 6kg with a wingspan exceeding 2 metres.
It is often found in open country throughout Malawi, feeding mainly on Guineafowl, Francolin, and Monitor Lizards; the increasing scarcity of prey species may force them to take domestic animals, especially poultry. It hunts by flying at a considerable height and scanning the ground below and very occasionally, it hovers like a Kestrel. The eagles require large trees for nesting.
There is one pair of Martial Eagles in the patch of evergreen forest in the Mulunguzi Gorge on Zomba Plateau. Overall, the number of Martial Eagles have declined in Southern Africa, and it is classified as ‘Near Threatened’.
Black Eagle Aquila verrauxii
The Black Eagle is a magnificent black bird with a white back, found only in mountainous or hilly country. It is very large, weighing up to 6kg, and has a wingspan of 2.2m. The highest population density of this eagle is in the Matobo National Park, in south-west Zimbabwe, where there is one pair per 10sq. km.
It is particularly graceful in flight; when hunting it flies fast along cliffs and ridges, surprising its prey by appearing suddenly around corners before it can dive for cover.
Its favourite prey is the large Rock Hyrax Procavia capensis, weighing 1.8 to 5.5kg, and found only in the southern half of Malawi. This may partially explain the scarcity of this eagle north of Chongoni.
Their nests are built on inaccessible rock ledges of a cliff and often used with an alternative site year after year. There is a Black Eagle’s nest on the huge rock just west of the main road to Monkey Bay at the Nkhudzi Bay turn-off, with another at the far end of the Nkhudzi Hills overlooking the lake.
African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer (Chichewa: Nkhwazi)
The Fish Eagle is a beautiful bird, which is happily still fairly common wherever fish are caught. It appears on the Malawi currency, and is the emblem of the Malawi Police Force.
The Fish Eagle is large, weighing up to 2.5kg, with a wingspan of about two metres.
The call, which is reflected in the name “vocifer”, is a challenging, yelping “wee-ay, hyo-hyo-hyo” uttered with the head thrown back, even while soaring, and often in duet.
Bataleur Terathopius ecaudatus (Chichewa: Mkuwi. Yao: Kapungu. Tumbuka/ Nkhonde: Chipungu.)
The Bataleur is another large, well-known eagle, with a 2 metre wingspan and weighing 2.25kg. It flies fast, at about 50 to 60 km/hr and at a low altitude. It glides gracefully on a steady course with scarcely a wing beat for about 300km a day; the only motion is a gentle rocking from one side to the other, like a tight-rope walker, which gives it its name – “bataileur”.
Carrion makes up two thirds of the Bataleur’s diet, making it very vulnerable to poisoned baits set out in stock-farming areas to control predators such as jackals. Thus the population of this species has declined drastically. It is also very sensitive to disturbances, particularly at its breeding sites. In Malawi the Bataleur is now usually only seen in National Parks and Wildlife Reserves, whereas in the past, it used to be a common sight as one drove along the road. I remember counting no less than 13 Bataleurs while driving from Salima to Mangochi in the mid-1970’s. Today one doesn’t even see any of the other birds of prey, let alone eagles.
The Snake Eagles Circaetus sp.
There are three species of Snake Eagles in Malawi. They are characterised by the thick undercoat of feathers on their body and head, giving them a “cowled” appearance, and scaled legs and feet, which offer protection from their main prey of snakes.
Each snake eagle adopts a different hunting strategy: The Brown Snake Eagle Circaetus cinereus, is usually seen perched conspicuously on a high vantage point in the savannah, typically on top of a baobab tree, from which it scans the ground for snakes.
The Western Banded Snake Eagle Circaetus cinerascens, tends to perch inside trees, overlooking a wetland.
The Black-breasted Snake Eagle Circaetus pectoralis (Chichewa Chidyanjoka = snake eater. Tumbuka/ Nkhonde: Nombo), hunts by hovering, scanning the open ground below for snakes. At 1.5kg it is the largest bird of prey that hovers regularly.
Palearctic migrant eagles
There are 4 eagles which migrate from Europe and Asia, sometimes travelling in large groups of 60 or more. They arrive in Malawi in late October and November, and depart, or pass through from the south in February – March.
Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus
At 710g-975g this is the smallest eagle in Africa, and one of the smallest in the world. It preys mainly on small birds, especially larks.
Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis
The Steppe Eagle, despite its large size (2.75kg and a wingspan of 2.0m), feeds mainly on termites, of which it needs to consume about 2,000 a day!
Tawny Eagle Aquila rapax
The Tawny Eagle closely resembles the Steppe Eagle but is slightly smaller (1.94kg, with a wingspan of 1.8m) and eats whatever is available.
Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina
Lesser Spotted Eagles (1.35kg, wingspan 1.4m) generally arrive in Malawi in November, departing in February-March, in groups of 20-30 birds flying north and occasionally in larger concentrations of up to 200. As with the other migratory eagles these are very attracted to emergences of winged termites.
Small eagles
Long-crested Eagle Lophaetus occipitalis (Chichewa: Tsitsimunga = “hair of God”, from the crest. Tumbuka: Chizonga. Nkhonde: Fyelile)
This bird is dull black with an unmistakeable long floppy crest, easily recognised in flight by the conspicuous white wing patches. It is a small eagle (1.06kg) that inhabits dense woodlands and forest edges, and is usually seen perching on a dead tree scanning for grass rats.
Wahlberg’s Eagle Aquila wahlbergi (Chichewa:Kabawe. Yao: Ngolume. Tumbuka: Koowi)
Wahlberg’s Eagle is small and brown (1.3kg, wingspan 1.2m), and also lives mainly on grass rats. In contrast to the Long Crested Eagle, it inhabits the acacia savannahs and thorn-bush and is the most common and widespread eagle in Malawi. It is an intra-African migrant, arriving in Malawi in the second half of August or early September to breed, and departing in March or early April.
Hawk Eagles
The Hawk Eagles preys almost entirely on birds, which they pursue either from a perch or by soaring.
The African Hawk Eagle Aquila spilogaster (Chichewa: Chikupiza, Kasenela)
The African Hawk Eagle is characteristic of the savannah, preying mainly on Francolin but also on guineafowl. Weight for weight (1.6kg), the African Hawk Eagle is the most potent avian predator on the continent.
Ayres Hawk Eagle Aquila ayresi
The Ayres Hawk Eagle, in contrast is a small (1.0kg) forest eagle, preying almost entirely on doves, especially laughing doves.
Eagles, together with all the other diurnal raptors, face many threats in Malawi and globally. Of the 110 eagle species in Africa, 29 are globally threatened. Eagles epitomise Africa’s wildest areas, especially forests and mountains, and the loss of these magnificent creatures indicates severe environmental degradation and impoverishment of biodiversity and natural resources.