Steppe Eagle

Fairly common summer visitor. Can be difficult to distinguish from [Long-crested Eagle] and [Lesser Spotted Eagle]. Adult is darker and plainer than the darkest of [Tawny Eagle]; eye dark, legs baggy, its prominent orange-yellow gape extends back to a point level with the back of the eye (slightly shorter in race A. n. orientali, but still larger than in [Tawny Eagle] . A buffy patch is often present on the hind crown. Adult have dark trailing edges to secondaries in flight with very faint undertail barring. Immature very like [Tawny Eagle] but has longer gape; in flight shows much white in the wings and on rear covert line, primary wing coverts brown with pale white trailing band on secondaries in flight and while perched cf. [Tawny Eagle] ; [Lesser Spotted Eagle]. Eats termites and is often seen consuming them on the ground, especially in the Kalahari. Also raids breeding colonies of queleas, feeding on eggs and nestlings. Found in mixed savanna & woodland, not found in the Karoo. 2-4,1 kg.