Tawny Eagle

Aquila rapax

Other Names

    Aigle ravisseur   Savannenadler, Raubadler   Águila Rapaz   Savanneörn   Savanne Arend, Savannenarend   Aquila rapace

World: In Africa widely distributed S of 17°N although missing from the equatorial lowland forest areas of the W and from the arid SW.

Kenya: Widely distributed across the country except in the most arid regions.

One of the 3 subspecies of Aquila rapax (the others being vindhiana and belisarius). In Kenya this is the predominant subspecies although specimens of Aquila rapax belisarius have occasionally been noted in the N of the country.

The nominate race is universally described as scruffy! Indeed this is given as one of the distinguishing features between it and belisarius. While the picture above shows the more typical brownish plumage they also have pale morphs some of which can be almost white. It is a catholic feeder which will take mammals the size of a dik-dik but it eats termites. Tawny Eagles will scavenge and may be seen alongside vultures at a carcass. They are also known to be kleptoparasites (they steal prey from other birds).

The Tawny Eagle looks very similar to the migratory Steppe Eagle, however the 2 can be told aprt from the length of the gape flange which never extends beyond the middle of the eye in the Tawny Eagle.