The African Fish Eagle Haliaeetus vocifer is a common, and commonly-seen, Eagle in sub-Saharan Africa, generally along rivers and lakesides. It feeds mainly on fish, as its vernacular name suggests, but will take a range of waterbirds, reptiles or carrion if the opportunity arises. When feeding on fish, it generally perches on a tree near the water, from which it swoops down to take a fish, then flies up to a tree again to feed. It has strong talons which enable it to fly with the slippery fish.
It calls loudly from trees, throwing back its head to do so, and its call is sometimes thought of as “The Sound of Africa”. Apparently, it also calls in flight, but I haven’t witnessed this. The loud call is referred to as part of its scientific name, vocifer.
This bird was photographed from a boat in the Kazinga Channel which connects two lakes, Lake Dweru (aka Lake George) and Lake Rutanzige (aka Lake Edward) in Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) in western Uganda, just inside the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In fact, Lake Rutanzige straddles the border.
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