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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%
45 Verified sightings at Kigali
21,078 In all 48 parks From 2019 to 2026
July 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 Kigali
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Zoos & Centres Where Found
Closest Relatives at Kigali
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing an African Fish-Eagle in Kigali?
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an African Fish-Eagle sighting in Kigali on a given day, based on 45 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 133rd most-seen of the 244 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 Kigali?
July and August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an African Fish-Eagle in Kigali on a given day, against under 5% in September to June, the lowest months. Those are among Kigali's driest months, with about 45 mm of rain a month against 180 mm in April.
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 Kigali the best place to see an African Fish-Eagle?
5th of 8
Of the 8 cities where we can rate African Fish-Eagle sightings, Kigali ranks 5th 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 Kigali?
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the African Fish-Eagle that you can see in Kigali (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are Black Kite (about 90%), Long-crested Eagle (about 40%) and Palmnut Vulture (about 30%), 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 Kigali (45 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.
