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The African fish eagle is a large bird. The female, at 3.2–3.6 kg (7.1–7.9 lb) is larger than the male, at 2.0–2.5 kg (4.4–5.5 lb). This is typical sexual dimorphism in birds of prey. Males usually have wingspans around 2.0 m (6.6 ft), while females have wingspans of 2.4 m (7.9 ft). The body length is 63–75 cm (25–29.5 in). The adult is very distinctive in appearance with a mostly brown body with a white head like the bald eagle and large, powerful, black wings. The head, breast, and tail of African fish eagles are snow white, except for the featherless face, which is yellow.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the African Fish Eagle
One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is November, the month with the most records.
Where to see the African Fish Eagle
The map shades 38 countries with regular records, and 3 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
About the African Fish Eagle
The African fish eagle or the African sea eagle is a large species of eagle found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply occur. It is the national bird of Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. As a result of its large range, it is known in many languages. Examples of names include: visarend in Afrikaans, nkwazi in Chewa, aigle pêcheur in French, idì in Yoruba, hungwe in Shona, inkwazi in isiZulu, and ntšhu in Northern Sotho. Though this species may superficially resemble the bald eagle in appearance they are not closely related and the two species occur on different continents, with the bald eagle being endemic to North America.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
White-bellied Sea EagleIcthyophaga leucogasterThe white-bellied sea eagle has a white head, rump and underparts, and dark or slate-grey back and wings.
Grey-headed Fish EagleIcthyophaga ichthyaetusThe grey-headed fish eagle is a smallish to medium-sized but quite bulky fish eagle, with a small bill, a small head on long neck, rounded tail and shortish legs with unfeathered tarsi and long talons.
Lesser Fish EagleIcthyophaga humilisThe lesser fish eagle is a medium-sized bird of prey that is primarily gray-brown in colour with broad, blunt wings and coarse featherless legs.
Side by side: African Fish Eagle vs White-bellied Sea Eagle · African Fish Eagle vs Snail Kite · African Fish Eagle vs Grey-headed Fish Eagle · African Fish Eagle vs Lesser Fish Eagle
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