Bateleur

Fairly common, localised resident. A distinctive, bulky-looking black eagle with red facial skin and legs and tawny wing coverts. Female has tawny secondaries. The back is normally chestnut-brown, less often creamy white. In flight appears almost tailless. Wing-tips curl upward, long wings are tapered (broadest on middle secondaries); male has widest black trailing edge; see flight pattern. Immature has longer tail and progresses from (1-5yr) from uniformly dull brown with slaty face and legs to brown mottling with purple face and legs; reaching maturity in year 6-7, see also flight patterns. In flight may call a loud ‘schaaaaaaaw’; while perched often calls ‘kau-kau-kauko-aaagh’. Sometimes makes wing-claps in the air. Often first to detect carcasses but are submissive to vultures and can be robbed by Tawny eagles of food. Normally flies at low altitude over bushveld and woodland, using little wing-flapping; glides for long periods with a sideways rocking action as though balancing. Nests of sticks in large Acacia or Jackalberry trees. Feeds by scavenging or hunting small mammals, reptiles and birds. 1,7-2,7 kg.