African Fish-Eagle
Icthyophaga vocifer
The adult is a large, distinctive, chestnut-and-white eagle that sits prominently on perches near rivers, lakes, and other waterbodies. The scruffy immature is dark brown and mottled with white on head. In flight the white windows in the wings and pale, dark-tipped tail make the juvenile distinctive. It catches fish with a graceful, shallow plunge to the water’s surface, but it will also eat birds, reptiles, and carrion. It tosses its head backwards while making a loud penetrating “wheeee-ah-kleeuw-kleeuw-kluuu” call; it is one of the most distinctive bird sounds of Africa.
识别特征
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. The eyes are dark brown in colour. The hook-shaped beak, ideal for a carnivorous lifestyle, is yellow with a black tip. The plumage of the juvenile is brown, and the eyes are paler than the adult's. The feet have rough soles and are equipped with powerful talons to enable the eagle to grasp slippery aquatic prey. While this species mainly subsists on fish, it is opportunistic and may take a wider variety of prey, such as waterbirds. Its distinctive cry is, for many, evocative of the spirit or essence of Africa. The call, shriller when uttered by males, is a weee-ah, hyo-hyo or a heee-ah, heeah-heeah.
分类信息
The African fish eagle is a species placed in the genus Icthyophaga (fish eagles). Its closest relative appears to be the critically endangered Madagascar fish eagle (I. vociferoides). Like all sea eagle species pairs, this one consists of a white-headed species (the African fish eagle) and a tan-headed one (Madagascar fish eagle). These are an ancient lineage of sea eagles; like other sea eagles, they have dark talons, beaks, and eyes Both species have at least partially white tails even as juveniles. The vocifer is derived from its original genus name, so named by the French naturalist François Levaillant, who called it 'the vociferous one'.
- 学名
- Icthyophaga vocifer
- 命名信息
- (Daudin, 1800)
- 目
- Accipitriformes
- 科
- Accipitridae
- 属
- Icthyophaga
分布与栖息地
This species is still quite common near freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and rivers, although it can sometimes be found near the coast at the mouths of rivers or lagoons. African fish eagles are indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa, ranging over most of continental Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Several examples of places where they may be resident, include the Orange River in South Africa and Namibia, the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and Lake Malawi bordering Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique. The African fish eagle is thought to occur in substantial numbers around the locations of Lake Victoria and other large lakes in Central Africa, particularly the Rift Valley lakes. This is a generalist species, requiring only open water with sufficient prey and a good perch, as evidenced by the number of habitat types in which this species may be found, including grasslands, swamps, marshes, tropical rainforests, fynbos, and even desert-bordering coastlines, such as that of Namibia. The African fish eagle is absent from arid areas with little surface water.
- 迁徙
- Resident species
行为
Migration pattern: Resident species.
保护状况
Population trend: stable.
- 种群趋势
- stable
照片
分布
鸟叫声
其他鸟类
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Phylloscopus sindianus
Very similar to Common Chiffchaff, but distinctly darker brown, and lacks any green or yellow tones including uppertail coverts and fringes to wing feathers. Note the brownish wash to underparts, especially the flanks, the rather contrasting whitish throat, and white eyebrow. Bill and legs distinctly black. Short primary projection. Breeds in forested mountains, valleys, and foothills, including low-stature mixed forest; winters in lower elevation scrub, including acacia and tamarisks. Call similar to Siberian Chiffchaff: a high-pitched, slightly downslurred "Piiu." Song similar to Common Chiffchaff but faster and less “organized.”
Spotted Crocias
Laniellus albonotatus
Long-tailed and thick-billed relative of the laughingthrushes, found only in foothill and lower montane forests on Java. Hops about in the upper levels of the forest, often in small single-species groups, as well as mixed flocks. When seen from below, note the bright white throat, black face, pale yellowish belly, and dark undertail with white-tipped feathers. If seen at a level angle, note rust-and-white striped back and sides. Fast, repetitive, up-and-down song is often given by multiple birds at once.
Harlequin Duck
Histrionicus histrionicus
Fairly small, boldly patterned diving duck that lives a seemingly dangerous life near fast-moving water and jagged rocks. Male is striking and unmistakable. Female is dark brown with small white patches on face; compare with female scoters but note smaller size and smaller bill of Harlequin. In summer, almost invariably seen in pairs on rocky streams where they breed. Gathers in small flocks on rocky coastlines in winter. Feeds on insects, fish, and aquatic invertebrates. Frequently dives underwater. Vocalizations are cute, high-pitched squeaks. In North America, more numerous in the west than in the east; also occurs in eastern Asia and Iceland.
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