 | African Crowned Eagle
 Stephanoaetus coronatus Fascinating Facts - Both parents share food, as well as incubation duties.
- A pair of crowned eagles may defend a territory up to 36 square miles in size!
- 98% of this predator’s diet consists of mammals, including monkeys, hyraxes, and small antelopes.
Physical Characteristics The African crowned eagle is a large forest-dwelling bird, weighing up to 9 pounds, with a wingspan of up to seven feet. With its long tail and short, rounded wings, the crowned eagle is perfectly adapted for maneuverable flight between dense forest trees. They have an extremely powerful beak, as well as a large crest at the back of the head, which may be spread when the bird is aggressive. The female is larger than the male, is more heavily marked below, and possesses one less wing bar than the male. Habitat/Diet African crowned eagles are found in forests and dense woodlands throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Their diet consists primarily of mammals, especially monkeys (which made up 82% of the diet in one Ugandan study), hyraxes and small antelopes, as well as some birds and large monitor lizards. Mates may hunt cooperatively, and share their prey. At times, crowned eagles may kill prey in excess of their own body weight, and pieces of food left uneaten may be stashed in the fork of a tree for the bird to consume later. Social Behavior Like many eagles, the crowned eagle will lead a very mobile lifestyle as a young bird, moving from place to place until they reach adulthood. As adults, crowned eagles usually mate for life, defending a large territory with their selected partner. Once established, a pair will perform a regular aerial display, with loud calling above the forest canopy. The nest, once complete, is a massive structure (up to eight feet across) of twigs and branches, lined with feathers and leaves; it is often used year after year. Two eggs are usually laid, and incubation lasts around 50 days. Once the eggs hatch, the older of the two chicks may be the only one to survive. At around 100 days, the chicks are able to fly, and leave the nest, but may remain with their parents for up to a year. Status In The Wild Crowned eagles are not currently considered to be globally threatened, even though their total population may be as low as 10,000 individuals. As a large forest predator, with a huge home territory, crowned eagles are sensitive to even slight changes in their habitat, and African forests are under increasing threat every year. Other There are currently less than 10 crowned eagles housed outside of Africa, and the species is the focus of a coordinated effort to better understand the biology of forest eagles. The San Francisco Zoo’s pair of crowned eagles is housed off-exhibit at the Avian Conservation Center, in the hopes that the privacy of the center will allow them to nest without disturbance. |
