The+martial+eagle

The martial eagle is the largest eagle in South Africa. They are incredibly powerful, capable of knocking an adult man off of his feet. They have enough power in one foot to break a man's arm, so watch out! They can weigh up to 14 pounds and they have a wingspan of about 6 feet 4 inches. Adults can be up to 32 inches long. They are mostly dark brown with a white belly with black streaks. Their legs are white and they have very large and sharp talons, strong enough to pick up a small goat. They can be very dangerous animals

Other birds are an important part of the martial eagles diet. Their diet includes francolins, bustards, and poultry. They also eat a lot of mammals, such as hyrax and small antelopes. Others include impala calf, monkeys, goats, lambs, mongoose, serval cat, jackal, snakes, and large lizards. The martial eagle kills and eats almost anything it can find.

Their nests are a big part of the martial eagles life. They can be located in trees, 20-80 feet above the ground, in trees located on a steep hillside or in a gorge. This is where the bird has a clear sweep off the nest. The breeding season may begin in the wet season, the early dry season, or the later dry season. The young are very week when first hatched from their eggs, but they become more active after about twenty days. After making their first flights, which takes place after about 100 days, it leaves the nest but stays rather close to it for at least six months.

The martial eagle can be found through most of South Africa. It spends most of it's time on the wing, and it can usually be found soaring about hill slopes. It flies very high, rendering it invisible without binoculars. It can be seen perched in trees in the morning and hunts in the daytime. The martial eagle may have a home range of anywhere up to 50 square miles. It doesn't like to get close to man but they can be found in the savannah and thorn bush areas of Africa south of the Sahara.