The Call Of Africa!- Article by Gareth Jones
The Call Of Africa By Nairobi National Park’s Raptors
Nearly two years ago we witnessed an incredible event at the Hyena dam in the Nairobi National Park. A fish eagle landed on the bank of the dam and stood for a while. Then it suddenly took off and flew rapidly up as it swooped and dived down with its talons outstretched, as if to try and catch a nice big fish, however, this “big fish” turned out to be a crocodile. The crocodile responded in a flash and nearly succeeded in pulling the fish eagle under the water. After a brief struggle, amazingly the fish eagle had enough strength to break free….. and live another day!!! I wonder if the fish eagle saw movement near the water surface and mistakenly tried to catch a “big fish” crocodile? It’s difficult to try and understand why? One probability is that the angle of the sun on the water might have had a blinding refection that only allowed the fish eagle partial sight, as it saw a flash of movement on the top of the water. That flash of movement was most likely the snout of a crocodile that I estimate was over 2 meters in length. The fish eagle actually flew directly onto the head of the crocodile with its talons trying to grab this “big fish”. We truly did witness a very rare occurrence. Apart from this interesting incident I also love the actual unique call of the African fish eagle, in fact, every time I hear that call it is a powerful reminder of the natural voice of Africa.
The African fish eagle is very impressive. Did you know that there are seven species of fish eagle worldwide? The African fish eagle is just one of seven. The Madagascan fish eagle is the only other species native to Africa. Steller’s sea eagle is a rare bird found in north-eastern Asia while Sanford’s fish eagle is endemic to the Solomon Islands. Three fish eagle species live on the Indian subcontinent, mostly around the Himalayan foothills. These are the grey-headed fish eagle, the lesser fish eagle and the Pallas’s fish eagle.
Did you know that African fish eagle is the national bird of four countries? These four countries are where the bird is found in abundance: Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Sudan. Not only is it their national bird, the fish eagle features on the coat of arms of all these countries. It is estimated that there are around 300,000 fish eagles in Africa. This vast population is spread across most of East and Southern Africa. It makes them one of the most numerous.
They are kleptoparasites, this means they actively steal food from other birds. Goliath herons and saddle-billed storks are their common victims, but fish eagles can scavenge like the best of them and will take from almost any other bird. You could call them the pirates of Africa’s rivers and lakes! African fish eagles aren’t just scavengers they have an incredibly diverse dinner menu. They do not feed purely on fish. Fish is supplemented by other birds and mammals. They are incredibly efficient hunters, picking on ducks, waterfowl, and various birds. In East Africa, they even feed on flamingos. Other prey includes lizards, frogs and carrion. African fish eagles sometimes eat monkeys and crocodiles. These raptors are such strong hunters, they sometimes target unusual prey. Who would think that a fish eagle can carry off a baby crocodile or a small monkey? African fish eagles can carry prey that’s up to ten times its own body weight. Rather than carry it high into the sky it will drag prey across the water surface until it reaches a safe place to land.
Fish eagles are loyal birds. They mate for life, with the actual mating taking place during the dry season when the waters are lowest. Every season the loved-up couples return to nests they have used before. Nests are built upon and some reach over two metres across.
Fish eagles have a very distinctive yodelling yelp. It’s a sound that resonates across Africa and some people call it the sound of Africa. Amazingly, these birds duet with hippos. Fish eagles provide the treble while hippo grunts offer the baritone in this animal orchestra. It goes a little like heee-ah, hyo-hyo, weee-ah, heeeah-heeeah.
They have a striking black, white and chestnut appearance. These three colours make for a distinctive appearance. Adults have a brown body with a striking bald white head, plus large black wings. Their tails are white and easily recognisable when spotted from below. Females are larger than males. This sexual dimorphism is common for birds of prey, particularly raptors. Females grow to have wingspans of 2.4 metres. Males are a little narrower at 2 metres across.
They grab prey with their remarkable feet and talons. Like most raptors, African fish eagles use their feet to grab prey. These birds have very rough soles and long talons, enabling them to grab animals from the water. Anything taken from the water is slippy, which is why the eagles need such rough and long feet. Then they use a hook-shaped beak to open up their prey.
The best places to see fish eagles are in Africa. Although indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa, it’s become rare to see African fish eagles in Central or Western Africa. Instead, they prefer the open landscapes of Eastern and Southern Africa. As their name might suggest, fish eagles live close to where there is fish – i.e. next to the water. African fish eagles are one of the highlights of an African safari. They can thrive in marshes, rainforest, grassland, desert coastlines, swamps and savannahs.
To have eagles living so close to a major city like Nairobi is unique. They need to be protected, and the Nairobi Park is a safe haven for them to nest and breed. However as they can fly, they often fly out of the park boundary, citizens need to be aware of the vital role of raptors such as Eagles, Hawks, Owls, they eat rodents, frogs, lizards and snakes, and therefore ensure a healthy balance in nature.
God has created so much amazing diversity, and fish eagles are truly incredible creation. Next time you visit the Nairobi National Park or any other place where there are natural lakes and rivers in a wildlife area, be on the lookout for the majestic fish eagles. If you listen you will hopefully be rewarded to listen to their memorable cry, the “call of Africa”.
The park is open daily from 06h00 to 19h00
