Young bateleur

The young bateleur, scientifically known as Terathopius ecaudatus or in Afrikaans berghaan (mountain cock or rooster), still lacks the red face and feet of its parents, its bill at this stage blue-grey all over. The tail is about black as that of the mature male but many changes await, although this juvenile already faces the camera with confidence. Maybe drab juvenile colouring is safer in a world where everything that eats is edible.

The bateleur, a medium sized eagle, is found across sub-Saharan Africa, in South Africa only in the far north near the Limpopo River and in a small part of the Northern Cape. A common resident in game reserves, its numbers are decreasing where human populations are permanent, its status deemed vulnerable.

The preferred bateleur habitat is open plains of woodland, savanna and in South Africa also the Kalahari thornveld. The birds are solitary or in flocks of up to 40, sometimes in the company of tawny eagles.

It flies about in circles on sunny days without much wing movement, always on the lookout. The hunt focuses on mammals, birds, reptiles and fish.

Breeding happens all through the year, peak periods differing geographically. The nest of sticks are high in forks of tall trees, its size about 60 cm in diameter and 30 cm deep. Old nests of other raptors are sometimes used.

The single white egg that is laid may sometimes have red marks. Incubation takes about 55 days, mostly done by the mother. Both parents feed the chick. Dependence lasts about four months from first flight (Maclean, 1993; Wikipedia).