The bateleur eagle is a medium-sized eagle native to Sub-Saharan Africa with a distinctive appearance, including a red face and legs, a short tail, and a colorful black and chestnut plumage. Known for its unique, wobbly flight style, this raptor hunts a varied diet of small mammals, birds, reptiles, and carrion, often soaring for long distances to find prey. They pair for life, nest in trees, and are currently listed as endangered due to population decline.
Appearance
Plumage: Adults have a black body, chestnut mantle, rump, and tail, with gray shoulders and wing patches.
Facial features: They have a bright red face and bright red legs.
Size: They measure 55–70 cm (22–28 inches) in length with a wingspan of 168–190 cm (5.5–6.3 feet).
Juveniles: Young eagles are mostly brown with some white dappling.
Behavior and lifestyle
Flight: Their flight is characterized by a rocking or wobbly motion, giving them the name "Bateleur," which means "tightrope walker" or "street performer" in French. They are highly aerial and spend many hours soaring.
Social structure: They are monogamous and typically live and hunt in pairs, although they are territorial.
Mood indicators: The red skin on their face and feet can change color; it flushes bright red when they are excited.
Sunbathing: After bathing, they often stand upright with their wings spread to sunbathe in a classic "phoenix" pose.
Communication: They are generally silent but can produce barks and screams.
Diet
Varied diet: Their diet is not limited to snakes and includes small mammals, birds, reptiles, and carrion.
Hunting: They hunt by soaring over a large territory, sometimes covering up to 250 square miles.
Reproduction
Nesting: They build sturdy stick nests in large trees.
Eggs: They lay only one egg at a time.
Life cycle: Incubation lasts about 50-60 days, and the young fledge after about 100 days.
Conservation status
Status: The bateleur eagle is listed as endangered.
Threats: Their population is declining, partly due to the use of poison baits, and they are increasingly confined to protected areas.
