Bateleur

Like a tightrope walker on a high-wire, a Bateleur sways and rocks as it glides low above the tree tops. With hardly a wing beat, it sweeps over the savanna in search of an unwary animal, or the remains of a predator's kill.

Few birds can match the striking appearance and aerial prowess of the Bateleur. It is certainly the most strikingly marked of the world's eagles and symbolic of Africa's wild places. This distinctive bird was chosen for CCAfrica's logo.

Striking Appearance

An adult Bateleur is an unmistakable bird. The jet black plumage, highlighted with buff-coloured wings and a chestnut-coloured back and tail, is set off by the striking red feet and face, and yellow bill. The juvenile and immature birds are a uniform brown colour, with greenish face and pale pink feet. Its broad head and unfeathered legs, indicate the Bateleur's close relationship to the snake eagles. In flight the bird is distinctive with its virtually non-existent tail and tapering wings. Unusual among birds of prey, the adult males and females can be told apart by their plumage: the female shows an ash-grey wing when perched and white secondary feathers, with black tips, when in flight. The male has black secondaries, obvious whether perched or flying.

Origins

The first Bateleur known to science was found and shot by Francois Le Vaillant near George, in the southern Cape in 1800. Bateleur is a French word - meaning tumbler or acrobat. Its scientific name Terathopius ecaudatus is derived from Greek and, loosely translated, means "marvellous face without a tail". Most apt!

Shrinking Habitat

The Bateleur occurs throughout the savanna and open woodland regions of Africa south of the Sahara. In South Africa, the species once graced the skies of the Transkei, the Eastern Cape, the Karoo and the south Western Cape.

Today the Bateleur has been eliminated from an estimated 80% of its former range and is classified as 'vulnerable' in the Red Data Book - Birds. This may come as a surprise to people who visit the lowveld wildlife reserves, where the Bateleur probably occurs at maximum density in an ideal habitat. Outside of protected areas, the Bateleur is extremely vulnerable to poison bait. The birds have been eradicated from virtually all South African farmland due to indiscriminate attempts to control jackal by irresponsible landowners.

Opportunistic Feeder

Because of its low flying habits, the Bateleur is often more conspicuous than other large eagles which fly at higher altitudes. Bateleurs are highly opportunistic feeders, taking carrion from small and large carcasses, pirating prey from other raptors or storks and feeding from road kills. Catching live prey such as small mammals, reptiles and birds, up to the size of a korhaan, feature among their feeding habits. One researcher working in the Kruger Park estimated that approximately one third of their food was live prey - with Lilac-breasted Rollers a particular favourite!

Mating and Nest Building

Bateleurs pair for life. The couple perform dramatic aerial acrobatics prior to breeding which is generally in late summer. A single egg is laid in a bulky stick nest, always situated within a main fork and below the canopy of a large tree. In contrast to other large eagle species, in which the female does most or all of the incubation, both Bateleur parents share this task.

The nest is lined with fresh green leaves to provide a soft carpet for the hatchling. The youngster develops rapidly, being fed regular meals by both parents.

At the age of about six weeks the juvenile is flapping at the edge of the nest but it will be between four and six months before it leaves its parents. Remarkably, it will be seven years before the youngster attains the colourful plumage of adulthood and is able to find a mate.

Posted: Birds by CC Africa, Date: 21 November 2006