Identification: Dark grey upperparts with rufous below, belly and breasts are heavily mottled with black. This eagle has short wings for added maneuverability in its environment

Distribution: Found only in Mozambique, most of Zimbabwe and north eastern and along the east coast of South Africa Status: Common Resident

Habitat: Evergreen forests including riverine forests

Habits: Hunt from the perch seldom in flight

Food: Small mammals, game birds, dassies, and monkeys (vervet and samango)

Breeding

Nest : An enormous structure of sticks is built by both parents in the fork of a large tree Clutch : 2 Eggs - Crowned Eagle use a system called cainism where the first born always kills the second born chick Incubation : Nestling : Remains with the parents

A very large bird (about 90cm), found in tropical Africa, in southern Africa a common resident in suitable habitat in the eastern areas. It inhabits dense indigenous forests and lives off monkeys and other mammals up to 20kg, birds and monitor lizards. The nest is a huge pile of sticks in the fork of a large forest tree.

In April 1996 the world’s first captive born Crowned Eagle hatched at The San Diego zoo.