EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

Cry of the Fish Eagle

African Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer), Family Accipitridae
Lake Naivasha, Kenya

Explanation:  Here in the east African Rift Valley country, African Fish Eagles dominate the lakeside when fish prey are available.  

They are readily visible in their prominent perch, such as the adult pair shown in this episode's main photo, above.  And when they dive to take fish just below the surface of the lake, as we saw in a previous EPOW episode.

But just as striking is their distinctive call, described as a "ringing kyow-kow-kow" or "WHOW-kayow-kwow," often starting with a loud "weee" note.  Also, the male's call is higher pitched than the female's, and pairs often call simultaneously.  

Click on this button to hear their cries that I recorded at Lake Naivasha in Kenya's southern Rift Valley; you can clearly hear both members of this pair ... again, with the male's call being higher-pitched:

And consider the scientific name (the "specific epithet") of this species:  vocifer ... as in "vocal" and "vociferous."  

  
     
Information:
     Maclean, G. L. 1993. Roberts' birds of southern Africa. Sixth edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. 871 pp.
     Sinclair, I., P. Hockey, and W. Tarboton.  1997.  Birds of southern Africa.  Struik New Holland Publishing, Cape Town, South Africa.  Second edition.  445 p.