Western Banded Snake-Eagle
Circaetus cinerascens
Riverine forests. Head to lower breast ash-grey; soft parts yellow.
Snake-Eagles
LC
Locally Rare
Description
Uncommon, localised resident. A small, robust, ash-brown eagle, distinguished from [Southern Banded Snake-Eagle] at all ages by the single broad, dark tail-bar (a second bar is mostly obscured by the undertail coverts) and by indistinct barring on belly only. Immature is variable, at first mainly white about the head and underparts. Occurs in riverine forest and floodplains, still-hunting from leafless branches in tall trees. Feed on snakes and other reptiles, rodents and insects. Call is a distinctive chicken like repeated ‘krok’ heard early mornings, more regularly while breeding. 1 kg
Quick Facts
Size
55 cm - L
Names
A: Enkelbandslangarend
Ss: Lejanoha La Motjhatosweu
G: Band-Schlangenadler
Bird Family
Characterised by unfeathered legs, heads with loose feathers, giving a round-headed appearance, and large yellow eyes. They still-hunt by watching the ground from a perch, or hunt while flying.
Distribution
Gallery
Behaviour
Breeding
Habitat
Occurs in riverine 'forest' and floodplains, still-hunting from leafless branches in tall trees.
