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Habitat

The African Hawk Eagle is distributed from south of the Sahara to just south of the tropic of capricorn in South Africa. They are usually found in woodland areas. They are usually seen in hilly and ruggy country. They avoid dense evergreen forests. The nest of the African Hawk Eagle, about 3 feet in diameter, is made in the fork of a large tree.

Diet

It feeds mainly on birds up to the size of Guineafowl. Francolin are probably its main diet. The African Hawk Eagle also feeds on small mammals such as the Mongoose and Dassie. Reptiles also form part of the diet.

Breeding

They will usually breed from May to July. Both the male and female incubate the eggs for a period of up to 44 days. Only 1 chick is reared, due to cainism.

Appearance

Size is medium to large, the upperparts are blackish; below it is white but heavily streaked with black, except on the legs, large white windows in the primaries and the trailing edge of the underwing is broadly black. Underwing coverts mostly black with a broad band of white spots.