2. Martial Eagle
The martial
eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus)
is a large eagle native to sub-
Saharan Africa.[2] It is the only
member of
the genus Polemaetus.A
species of the booted eagle
sub-family (Aquillinae), it has
feathering over its tarsus. One
of the largest and most
powerful species of booted
eagle, it is a fairly
opportunistic predator that
varies it prey selection
between mammals, birds and
reptiles. Its hunting technique
is unique as
3. it is one of few eagle species known to hunt
primarily from a high soar, by stooping on its
quarry.[3] An inhabitant of wooded belts of
otherwise open savanna, this species has
shown a precipitous decline in the last few
centuries due to a variety of factors. The
martial eagle is one of the most persecuted
bird species in the world. Due to its habit of
taking livestock and regionally valuable game,
local farmers and game wardens frequently
seek to eliminate martial eagles, although the
effect of eagles on this prey is almost certainly
considerably exaggerated. Currently, the
martial eagle is classified with the status of
Vulnerable to extinction by the IUCN
4. The martial eagle can be found in most of sub-
Saharan Africa, wherever food is abundant and
the environment favourable. With a total
estimated distribution of about
26,000 km2 (10,000 sq mi), it is fairly widely
distributed in the continent, having a
somewhat broader range than species like
the crowned eagle (Stephanoaetus coronatus)
and the Verreaux's eagle (Aquila
verreauxii).[6] Although never common, greater
population densities do exist in southern
Africa and in some parts of east Africa. Martial
eagles tend to be rare and irregular in west
Africa but are known to reside in Senegal, The
Gambia and northern Guinea-Bissau,
southern Mali and the northern portions
of Ivory Coastand Ghana.
5. From southern Niger and eastern Nigeria the
species is distributed spottily
through Chad, Sudan and the Central African
Republic as well as the northern, eastern, and
southern portions of the Democratic Republic
of the Congo. In east Africa, they range from
northwestern Somalia and Ethiopia more or
less continuously south
through Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and
in southern
Africa from Angola, Zambia, Malawi and
southern Mozambique to South Africa.[2] Some
of the larger remaining populations are known
to persist in Zimbabweand South Africa.
Generally, these birds are more abundant in
protected areas such as Kruger National
Park and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in South
Africa, or Etosha National Park in Namibia
7. The Accipitridae (hereafter accipitrids) family is
by far the most diverse family of diurnal
raptors in the world with more than 230
currently accepted species.[8] As a member of
the booted eagle sub-family, Aquilinae, it is
one of the roughly 15% extant species of the
family to have feathers covering its legs.[2] This
may be a useful feature for distinguishing
these species from other eagles and raptors, as
they are present even in tropical species such
as the martial eagle.[9] Under current
classifications, booted eagles consist of
approximately 38 living species that are
distributed in every continent inhabited by the
accipitrids, which excludes only the continent
of Antarctica. Just under half of the living
species of booted eagle are found in Africa
8. Studies have been conducted on the
mitochondrial DNA of most booted eagle
species, including the martial eagle, in order to
gain insight on how the sub-family is ordered
and which species bear relation to one
another. DNA testing in the 1980s indicated
the martial eagle was a specialized off-shoot of
the small-bodied Hieraaetus eagles and one
study went so far as to advocate that the
martial eagle be included in the
genus.[10] However, more modern and
comprehensive genetic testing has shown that
the martial eagle is extremely distinct from
other living booted eagles and diverged from
other existing genera several million years
ago.[11][12] Genetically, the martial eagle fell
between two other species in monotypical
genera, the African long-crested eagle
9. (Lophaetus occipitalis) and the Asian rufous-
bellied eagle (Lophotriorchis kienerii), that
similarly diverged long ago from other modern
species. Given the disparity of this species’
unique morphology and that the two
aforementioned most closely related living
species are only about as large as the
bigger buzzards, the unique heritage of the
martial eagle is considered even superficially
evident.[11][12] There are no subspecies of
martial eagle and the species varies little in
appearance and genetic diversity across its
distribution.[
10. The martial eagle is one of the most highly
aerial members of its sub-family.
15. The martial eagle is a very large eagle. In total
length, it can range from 78 to 96 cm (31 to
38 in), with an average of approximately
85.5 cm (33.7 in).[2][13] Its total length – in
comparison to its wingspan – is restricted by
its relatively short tail. Nonetheless, it appears
to be the sixth or seventh longest living eagle
species.[2] The wingspan of martial eagles can
range from 188 to 260 cm (6 ft 2 in to 8 ft
6 in).[2][8][14] Average wingspans have been
claimed of 205 cm (6 ft 9 in) and 207.5 cm (6 ft
10 in) for the species, however ten measured
martial eagles in the wild were found to
average 211.9 cm (6 ft 11 in) in wingspan.
Thus, the martial eagle appears to average
fourth in wingspan among living eagles, behind
only the Steller's sea-eagle (Haliaeetus
pelagicus), the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus
albicilla) and the wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila
audax), in roughly that order.[
16. For a species that is fairly homogeneous in its
genetic make-up, the body mass of martial
eagles is surprisingly variable. To some extent,
the variation of body masses in the species is
contributable to considerable reverse sexual
dimorphism as well as varying environmental
conditions of various eagle
populations.[18] Unsexed martial eagles from
various studies have been found to have
weighed an average of 3.93 kg (8.7 lb) in 17
birds, 3.97 kg (8.8 lb) in 20 birds and 4.23 kg
(9.3 lb) in 20 birds while the average weight of
martial eagles shot by game wardens in the
early 20th century in South Africa was listed as
4.71 kg
17. (10.4 lb).[15][18][19][20][21] In weight range, the
martial eagle broadly overlaps in size with
the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
and Verreaux's eagle (and is even exceeded by
them in maximum known body mass). Based
on numerous studies, the martial eagle appear
to average mildly heavier than the Verreaux's
eagle but (derived from the globally combined
body mass of its various races), the mean body
masses of golden and martial eagles are
identical at approximately 4.17 kg (9.2 lb). The
renders the golden and martial eagles as tied
as the largest African eagles (by body mass but
not in total length or wingspan, in which the
martial bests the golden), as well as the
heaviest two species of booted eagle in the
world and as tied as the sixth heaviest eagles
in the world, after the three largest species
of sea eagle
18. (Steller's being the heaviest extant, the others
ranking 4th and 5th), the harpy eagle (Harpia
harpyja) and the Philippine
eagle (Pithecophaga
jefferyi).[2][15][18][20][22][23] The longest African
eagle (and second longest booted eagle after
the wedge-tailed eagle(Aquila audax)) is
the crowned eagle by virtue of its relatively
longer tail, as its body weight is slightly less
than these three heaviest booted eagle species
19. Booted Eagle
The booted
eagle (Hieraaetus
pennatus, also classified
as Aquila pennata) is a
medium-sized mostly
migratory bird of prey with
a wide distribution in
the Palearctic and
southern Asia, wintering in
the tropics of Africa and
Asia, with a small, disjunct
breeding population in
south-western Africa. Like
all eagles, it belongs to the
family Accipitridae.
20. Booted Eagle in Dark Morph at
Jayamangali Black buck Reserve, India
21. The booted is a small eagle, comparable to
the common buzzard in size though more
eagle-like in shape. Males grow to about 510–
770 g (1.12–1.70 lb) in weight, with females
about 840–1,025 g (1.852–2.260 lb) with a
length of 40 cm and a wingspan of 11–132 cm.
There are two relatively distinct
plumage forms. Pale birds are mainly light grey
with a darker head and flight feathers. The
other form has mid-brown plumage with dark
grey flight feathers.
22. Based on recent genetic research some
authors reclassified this species to
the genus Aquila, along with some[4] or
all[5] other Hieraaetus species. As it is the type
species of Hieraaetus, should any of the hawk-
eagles have been retained in a distinct genus
then a new name for that group would have
been necessary. However, DNA research has
shown it forms
a monophyletic clade with Ayres's hawk
eagle, Wahlberg's eagle, little eagle and
the pygmy eagle and this clade is often treated
as forming the genus Hieraeetus[6] and most
reference lists currently use H. pennata.[7][8][9]
Along with the little eagle, this bird is one of
the closest living relatives of the extinct Haast's
eagle of New Zealand.[10]
Although some authors name a number
of subspecies most now treat it as
a monotypic species.
23. Haasts Eagle
The Haast's
eagle (Harpagornis moorei) is
an extinct species
of eagle that once lived in
the South Island of New
Zealand, commonly accepted
to be
the Pouakai of Maori legend.[1
] The species was the largest
eagle known to have existed.
Its massive size is explained as
an evolutionary response to
the size of its prey - the
flightless moa, the largest of
which could weigh 230 kg
(510 lb).[2] Haast's eagle
became extinct around 1400,
after the moa were hunted to
extinction by the first Māori
25. Haast's eagle was first described by Julius von
Haast in 1871 from remains discovered by F.
Fuller in a former marsh.[4] Haast named the
eagle Harpagornis moorei after George Henry
Moore, the owner of the Glenmark Estate,
where the bones of the bird had been
found.[5] The genus name is from the Greek
"harpax", meaning "grappling hook", and
"ornis", meaning "bird".
26. DNA analysis has shown that this bird is related
most closely to the much smaller little eagle as
well as the booted eagle and not, as previously
thought, to the large wedge-tailed
eagle.[6] Thus, Harpagornis moorei may
eventually be reclassified as Hieraaetus
moorei. H. moorei is estimated to have
diverged from these smaller eagles as recently
as 1.8 million to 700,000 years ago. If this
estimate is correct, its increase in weight by
ten to fifteen times is an exceptionally rapid
weight increase. This was made possible in
part by the presence of large prey and the
absence of competition from other large
predator
27. Haast's eagles were one of the largest known
true raptors. In length and weight, Haast's
eagle was even larger than the largest
living vultures. Another giant eagle from the
fossil record, Amplibuteo woodwardi, is more
recently and scantly-described but rivaled the
Haast's in at least the aspect of total
length.[8] Female eagles were significantly
larger than males. Most estimates place the
female Haast eagles in the range of 10–15 kg
(22–33 lb) and males around 9–12 kg (20–
26 lb).[9]
A comparison to living eagles of the
Australasian region resulted in estimated
masses in Haast's eagles of 11.5 kg (25 lb) for
males and 14 kg (31 lb) for females.[9] One
source estimates that the largest females could
have scaled more than 16.5 kg (36 lb) in
mass.[10] The largest extant eagles, none of
which are verified to exceed 9 kg (20 lb) in a
wild state, are about forty percent smaller in
body size than Haast's eagles
Haast's eagles were one of the largest known
true raptors. In length and weight, Haast's
eagle was even larger than the largest
living vultures. Another giant eagle from the
fossil record, Amplibuteo woodwardi, is more
recently and scantly-described but rivaled the
Haast's in at least the aspect of total
length.[8] Female eagles were significantly
larger than males. Most estimates place the
female Haast eagles in the range of 10–15 kg
(22–33 lb) and males around 9–12 kg (20–
26 lb).[9]
A comparison to living eagles of the
Australasian region resulted in estimated
masses in Haast's eagles of 11.5 kg (25 lb) for
males and 14 kg (31 lb) for females.[9] One
source estimates that the largest females could
have scaled more than 16.5 kg (36 lb) in
mass.[10] The largest extant eagles, none of
which are verified to exceed 9 kg (20 lb) in a
wild state, are about forty percent smaller in
body size than Haast's eagles
28. They had a relatively short wingspan for their
size. It is estimated that the grown female
typically spanned up to 2.6 m (8.5 ft), possibly
up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in a few cases.[12][13] This
wingspan is broadly similar to the larger range
of female size in some extant eagles:
the wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax), golden
eagle (A. chrysaetos), martial
eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) and Steller's sea
eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) are all known to
exceed 2.5 m in wingspan. Several of the
largest extant Old World vultures, if not in
mean mass or other linear measurements,
probably exceed Haast's eagle in average
wingspan as well .[11][14]
Short wings may have aided Haast's eagles
when hunting in the
dense scrubland and forests of New Zealand.
Haast's eagle has sometimes been portrayed
incorrectly as having evolved
toward flightlessness, but this is not so. Rather
it represents a departure from the mode of its
ancestors' soaring flight, toward higher wing
loading and the species probably had very
broad wings.
29. While most bones studied have been internal
ones, some remains of Haast's eagles allow
people to make comparisons to living eagles.
The harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) and
the Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi),
which are the largest and most powerful living
eagles alongside the Steller's sea eagle, also
have similarly reduced relative wing-length in
adaptation to forest-dwelling.[11] A lower
mandible from the Haast's eagle measured
11.4 cm (4.5 in) and the tarsus in several
Haast's fossils has been measured from 22.7 to
24.9 cm (8.9 to 9.8 in).[16] In comparison, the
largest beaks of eagles today (from
the Philippineand the Steller's sea eagle) reach
a little more than 7 cm (2.8 in); and the longest
tarsal measurements (from the Philippine and
the Papuan eagle) top out around 14 cm
(5.5 in)
30. The talons of the Haast's eagle were similar in
length to those of the harpy eagle, with a
front-left talon length of 4.9 to 6.15 cm (1.93
to 2.42 in) and a hallux-claw of possibly up to
11 cm (4.3 in).[10] The Philippine eagle might be
a particularly appropriate living species to
compare with the Haast's eagle, because it too
evolved in an insular environment from
smaller ancestors (apparently basal snake
eagles) to island gigantism in the absence of
large carnivorous mammals and other
competing predators.[19]
The strong legs and massive flight muscles of
these eagles would have enabled the birds to
take off with a jumping start from the ground,
despite their great weight. The tail was almost
certainly long, in excess of 50 cm (20 in) in
female specimens, and very broad. This
characteristic would compensate for the
reduction in wing area by providing
additional lift.[9] Total length is estimated to
have been up to 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) in females,
with a standing height of approximately 90 cm
(2 ft 11 in) tall or perhaps slightly greater
![Martial Eagle
The martial
eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus)
is a large eagle native to sub-
Saharan Africa.[2] It is the only
member of
the genus Polemaetus.A
species of the booted eagle
sub-family (Aquillinae), it has
feathering over its tarsus. One
of the largest and most
powerful species of booted
eagle, it is a fairly
opportunistic predator that
varies it prey selection
between mammals, birds and
reptiles. Its hunting technique
is unique as](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)