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African Fish-Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
Silhouette: Ron Holmes/U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (source photo), T. Michael Keesey (vectorization) · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAccipitriformes (Hawks, Eagles, Kites, and Allies)
- FamilyAccipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
- GenusHaliaeetus (Northern Sea-Eagles and Fish-Eagles)
- SpeciesHaliaeetus vocifer (African Fish-Eagle)
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
111 Verified sightings at Cape Town
21,078 In all 48 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the African Fish-Eagle
The African fish eagle (Icthyophaga vocifer) or the African sea eagle is a large species of eagle found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply occur. It is the national bird of Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. As a result of its large range, it is known in many languages. Examples of names include: visarend in Afrikaans, nkwazi in Chewa, aigle pêcheur in French, idì in Yoruba, hungwe in Shona, inkwazi in isiZulu, and ntšhu in Northern Sotho. Though this species may superficially resemble the bald eagle in appearance they are not closely related and the two species occur on different continents, with the bald eagle being endemic to North America.
The African fish eagle is a species placed in the genus Icthyophaga (fish eagles). Its closest relative appears to be the critically endangered Madagascar fish eagle (I. vociferoides). Like all sea eagle species pairs, this one consists of a white-headed species (the African fish eagle) and a tan-headed one (Madagascar fish eagle). These are an ancient lineage of sea eagles; like other sea eagles, they have dark talons, beaks, and eyes. Both species have at least partially... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of African Fish-Eagle in Cape Town
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Zoos & Centres Where Found
Closest Relatives at Cape Town
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing an African Fish-Eagle in Cape Town?
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an African Fish-Eagle sighting in Cape Town on a given day, based on 111 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 119th most-seen of the 196 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see an African Fish-Eagle in Cape Town?
September and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an African Fish-Eagle in Cape Town on a given day, against under 5% in November to August, the lowest months.
What time of day is best to see an African Fish-Eagle?
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most African Fish-Eagle sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Cape Town the best place to see an African Fish-Eagle?
6th of 8
Of the 8 cities where we can rate African Fish-Eagle sightings, Cape Town ranks 6th at under 5%. The best odds are in Mombasa (Kenya, about 40%), Kampala (Uganda, about 40%) and Durban (South Africa, about 10%).
Which relatives of the African Fish-Eagle live in Cape Town?
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the African Fish-Eagle that you can see in Cape Town (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are Jackal Buzzard (about 10%), Black-winged Kite (about 10%) and Black Kite (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the African Fish-Eagle sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the African Fish-Eagle is recorded against all the birds logged in Cape Town (111 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
