Species profile
About the african crowned eagle
Pound for pound the crowned eagle is Africa's most powerful raptor, with massive legs and talons capable of killing prey several times its own weight. It hunts inside forest rather than over open country, ambushing monkeys and duikers from a hidden perch after long, silent waits.
It is heard more often than seen: the male's ringing display call, delivered from high above the canopy in an undulating flight, carries for kilometres. Manyara's groundwater forest, Arusha's Mount Meru forest and the Mahale slopes all hold pairs.
Life in the wild
Behavior & relationships
Behavior
Ambush hunter that waits motionless in the canopy. Kills large prey on the ground and may dismember it, carrying pieces to the nest over several trips.
Social life
Monogamous, extremely long-lived pairs that use one enormous nest for decades. Chicks depend on their parents for up to a year, so most pairs breed only every other year.
What makes it remarkable
Special features
Talons and legs powerful enough to kill antelope, and a two-year breeding cycle unusually long for any eagle.
