Long-crested Eagle

Lophaetus occipitalis

Other Names

  Long-crested Hawk-Eagle   Aigle huppard, Aigle à huppe longue, Aigle huppé   Schopfadler   Águila Crestilarga   Tofsörn   Afrikaanse Zwarte Kuifarend   Aquila del ciuffo

World: Widely distributed in Africa south of 15°N except for e Somalia and the arid areas of the SW.

Kenya: Locally common in wooded areas and forest edges. Mostly absent from the arid NE of the country.

Impossible to confuse with anything else, the Long-crested Eagle is a small, dark eagle with a long, lax crest. When perching the adult looks to be a uniform blackish-brown with brownish-white tarsal feathers. Even in flight it is unmistakable with a strongly barred tail and even more obvious, from both above and below, large white wing patches. Although it's preferred habitat is woodland it can often be seen at the roadside, usually perched on a convenient fence or telegraph pole.