Fun African Hawk Eagle Facts For Kids

Eagles and hawks are the most dangerous birds of prey, well-known for their ability to spot prey at unbelievably far locations from their nest. In this article, we will be taking a look at some fun facts on the African hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster), part of the family Accipitridae, a group of birds of prey.This particular species can be found nesting on the fork of a large cliff or at the top of tall dead trees. These voracious birds of prey can be found in a wide range of habitats across the African continent, where they inhabit sparsely vegetated savannas, wooded hills, and rocky woodlands. A lack of tree cover for their prey to hide in is perfect for this deadly bird species to swoop in for the kill. Even when their prey is able to find the odd bush or shrub to hide in, the African hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster) is known for following it on foot! Their diet consists of a relatively large range of prey, including fowl birds.The name for the African hawk-eagle in Afrikaans, Grootjagarend, references their large size, translating roughly to ‘big hunt eagle’. African hawk-eagle mothers usually lay two eggs, of which only one survives. The first chick to hatch collects more food than the second and will eventually cause the death of its sibling. This is called siblicide and is a common sight in the species.The top side of the African hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster) is largely black and dark brown in color, while the underside of its body is white and is heavily streaked with black. The underwing is white with black markings on the trailing edge. This coloration often leads to them being mistaken for the Ayres hawk-eagle when in flight. The African hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster) uses its feet as the primary weapon for hunting, similar to many other bird species of the family Accipitridae. Though they are listed as species of Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, their population size is believed to be slowly decreasing in the wild.If you go on to enjoy this article on African hawk-eagles, make sure to check out our facts pages on birds of paradise and common nighthawks.‍

Fun African Hawk-eagle Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Squirrels, beavers, rats, lizards, frogs, smaller birds

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 1-2

How much do they weigh? 3.3 lb (1.5 kg)

How long are they? 22–26 in (55–65 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? A blackish upper body, heavily streaked in white with a black underside

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Snakes That Attack Chicks And Eggs

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Semi-arid Open Savannas And Rocky Woodlands

Locations South Africa, Somalia, Ghana, Kenya, South Sudan, African Countries Including Zimbabwe, And Guinea

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Aquila

Class Aves

Family Accipitridae

African Hawk-Eagle Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is an African hawk-eagle?The African hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster) is a type of eagle.What class of animal does an African hawk-eagle belong to?The African hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster) is classified in Aves, the class that includes an amazingly large range of birds.How many African hawk-eagles are there in the world?While the exact population size of the African hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster) is not known, they are thought to currently be abundant in the wild, though their population is slowly decreasing. It is only in national parks and reserves that they are thriving in population.Where does an African hawk-eagle live?These birds of prey are known to nest in wooded hills, at the fork of a large cliff, and among dead trees in open savannahs. African hawk eagles’ eggs and chicks are threatened by snakes that can climb up trees, so mothers must select a good, tall tree to build a nest on.What is an African hawk-eagle’s habitat?Despite the fact that this bird of prey avoids mountainous and densely vegetated regions, it can still be seen nesting in wooded hills. Apart from this exception, its habitat mostly consists of sparsely wooded savannahs and rocky woodlands in Africa.Who do African hawk-eagles live with?Like many other bird species of the Accipitridae family, they too live and hunt in pairs. While one bird flushes out prey from its hiding spot, the other waits, feet poised, to land the killing blow.How long does an African hawk-eagle live?An exact African hawk-eagle lifespan in the wild has not been observed, but similar species of bird-like the Hawaiian hawk and the golden eagle are known to live for around 15 years.How do they reproduce?African hawk-eagles reproduce sexually. Though courtship between the male and female bird may occur mid-air, mating will take place on a tree branch, most often. Pre-breeding rituals may include calling and circling each other in mid-air, culminating in the male providing gifts in the form of prey to the female. After breeding, unlike many mammals, the male is involved in the process of building the nest and incubating the one or two eggs laid for around a month and a half. The newborn bird(s) may also be taken care of by their father, but only one usually survives.What is their conservation status?Even though they are currently listed as species of Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, their population size is believed to be slowly decreasing in the wild. Arguably, the efforts of national parks and reserves are the main thing keeping this bird species’ population size afloat.African Hawk-Eagle Fun FactsWhat do African hawk-eagles look like?The African hawk-eagle is mostly dark brown or black on the top side of its body, with a white underside with large streaks of black. The underwing is also mostly white and features brown or black marks on the trailing edge (the rear edge of any aerodynamic surface). When looking at one in flight from the ground, they look almost identical to the Ayres hawk-eagle, the only major difference being the more prevalent black markings on the African hawk-eagle. They have extremely powerful yellow eyes with black pupils that they can use to spot prey 0.62 mi (1 km) away from them!How cute are they?They do not look cute, in fact, they look intimidating and dangerous. They are very dangerous birds, but they can be tamed and trained to an extent.How do they communicate?The average adult African hawk-eagle call is shrill and loud, sounding like ‘kluu’. They use this call to warn other animals of their presence. They can be extremely territorial, and one hawk-eagle invades another’s hunting grounds, there can be a violent confrontation.How big is an African hawk-eagle?The average African hawk-eagle size for an adult is around 22–26 in (55–65 cm), meaning it is almost one and half times smaller than the martial eagle (which is the largest eagle in South Africa, and indeed in all of Africa) and almost exactly the same size as a Bateleur eagle.How fast can an African hawk-eagle fly?The estimated top speed that they can hit is around 150 mph (241 kph)! At this speed, the hawk-eagle dives to the ground to hunt its prey. It’s fair to say that they prey don’t stand much of a chance!How much does an African hawk-eagle weigh?The average weight of this species is around 3.3 lb (1.5 kg).What are their male and female names of the species?Both males and females of the species can be referred to by the same name.What would you call a baby African hawk-eagle?A baby eagle is often called an eaglet or a nestling, so a baby of this species can be called an African hawk-eaglet or African hawk-nestling.What do they eat?Their diet consists of a variety of small mammals like squirrels, rats, beavers, and other rodents. They also eat reptiles like lizards, salamanders, frogs, and fowl birds like guineafowl.Are they dangerous?They would much rather keep their distance than attack a human, but a cornered wild bird will not hesitate to scratch or bite a human. While the wound may be painful, it will probably not cause any long-term harm.Would they make a good pet?No, these hawk-eagles can be hard to tame and train.Did you know…Most of the 60+ species of eagles are found in Eurasia and Africa!Naming the speciesIt is called a hawk-eagle as it is an eagle that incorporates a few characteristics of a hawk, such as white chest and belly feathers and a relatively small wingspan.How is an African hawk-eagle different from a regular eagle?The African hawk-eagle is slightly smaller in wingspan than a regular eagle and has white underside feathers like a hawk. It is also endemic to Africa.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our myna facts and coal tit facts pages.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable African hawk eagle coloring pages.‍

What type of animal is an African hawk-eagle?

The African hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster) is a type of eagle.

Fun African Hawk-eagle Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Squirrels, beavers, rats, lizards, frogs, smaller birds

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 1-2

How much do they weigh? 3.3 lb (1.5 kg)

How long are they? 22–26 in (55–65 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? A blackish upper body, heavily streaked in white with a black underside

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Snakes That Attack Chicks And Eggs

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Semi-arid Open Savannas And Rocky Woodlands

Locations South Africa, Somalia, Ghana, Kenya, South Sudan, African Countries Including Zimbabwe, And Guinea

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Aquila

Class Aves

Family Accipitridae

Fun African Hawk-eagle Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Squirrels, beavers, rats, lizards, frogs, smaller birds

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 1-2

How much do they weigh? 3.3 lb (1.5 kg)

How long are they? 22–26 in (55–65 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? A blackish upper body, heavily streaked in white with a black underside

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Snakes That Attack Chicks And Eggs

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Semi-arid Open Savannas And Rocky Woodlands

Locations South Africa, Somalia, Ghana, Kenya, South Sudan, African Countries Including Zimbabwe, And Guinea

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Aquila

Class Aves

Family Accipitridae

Fun African Hawk-eagle Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Squirrels, beavers, rats, lizards, frogs, smaller birds

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 1-2

How much do they weigh? 3.3 lb (1.5 kg)

How long are they? 22–26 in (55–65 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? A blackish upper body, heavily streaked in white with a black underside

Skin Type Feathers

What were their main threats? Snakes That Attack Chicks And Eggs

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Semi-arid Open Savannas And Rocky Woodlands

Locations South Africa, Somalia, Ghana, Kenya, South Sudan, African Countries Including Zimbabwe, And Guinea

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Aquila

Class Aves

Family Accipitridae