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African Fish-Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
Silhouette: Ron Holmes/U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (source photo), T. Michael Keesey (vectorization) ยท 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 ~90% in a week >90%
104 Verified sightings at Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary From 2019 to 2026
21,270 In all 52 parks
April Best month
โ๏ธ 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 pรชcheur in French, idรฌ in Yoruba, hungwe in Shona, inkwazi in isiZulu, and ntลกhu 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...
Recent sightings of African Fish-Eagle in Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Nakuru National Park | ๐ฐ๐ช Kenya | |
| 2 | Niokolo-Koba National Park | ๐ธ๐ณ Senegal | |
| 3 | Akagera National Park | ๐ท๐ผ Rwanda | |
| 4 | Liwonde National Park | ๐ฒ๐ผ Malawi | |
| 5 | Lower Zambezi National Park | ๐ฟ๐ฒ Zambia | |
| 6 | Kafue National Park | ๐ฟ๐ฒ Zambia | |
| 7 | Chobe National Park | ๐ง๐ผ Botswana | |
| 8 | Moremi Game Reserve | ๐ง๐ผ Botswana | |
| 9 | Gonarezhou National Park | ๐ฟ๐ผ Zimbabwe | |
| 10 | Mana Pools National Park | ๐ฟ๐ผ Zimbabwe | |
| 11 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | ๐บ๐ฌ Uganda | |
| 12 | Murchison Falls National Park | ๐บ๐ฌ Uganda | |
| 13 | Selous Game Reserve | ๐น๐ฟ Tanzania | |
| 14 | Kruger National Park | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 15 | South Luangwa National Park | ๐ฟ๐ฒ Zambia | |
| 16 | Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary | ๐ธ๐ณ Senegal | |
| 17 | Amboseli National Park | ๐ฐ๐ช Kenya | |
| 18 | Nairobi National Park | ๐ฐ๐ช Kenya | |
| 19 | Ruaha National Park | ๐น๐ฟ Tanzania | |
| 20 | Lake Mburo National Park | ๐บ๐ฌ Uganda | |
| 21 | Pilanesberg National Park | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 22 | Gorongosa National Park | ๐ฒ๐ฟ Mozambique | |
| 23 | Virunga National Park | ๐จ๐ฉ Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 24 | Hwange National Park | ๐ฟ๐ผ Zimbabwe | |
| 25 | Tarangire National Park | ๐น๐ฟ Tanzania | |
| 26 | Lake Manyara National Park | ๐น๐ฟ Tanzania | |
| 27 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 28 | Pendjari National Park | ๐ง๐ฏ Benin | |
| 29 | uMkhuze Game Reserve | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 30 | Meru National Park | ๐ฐ๐ช Kenya | |
| 31 | Awash National Park | ๐ช๐น Ethiopia | |
| 32 | Semuliki National Park | ๐บ๐ฌ Uganda | |
| 33 | Garden Route National Park | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 34 | De Hoop Nature Reserve | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 35 | Samburu National Reserve | ๐ฐ๐ช Kenya | |
| 36 | Masai Mara National Reserve | ๐ฐ๐ช Kenya | |
| 37 | Odzala-Kokoua National Park | ๐จ๐ฌ Republic of the Congo | |
| 38 | Mole National Park | ๐ฌ๐ญ Ghana | |
| 39 | West Coast National Park | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 40 | Chinko Conservation Area | ๐จ๐ซ Central African Republic | |
| 41 | Arusha National Park | ๐น๐ฟ Tanzania | |
| 42 | Serengeti National Park | ๐น๐ฟ Tanzania | |
| 43 | Tsavo East National Park | ๐ฐ๐ช Kenya | |
| 44 | Tsavo West National Park | ๐ฐ๐ช Kenya | |
| 45 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 46 | Addo Elephant National Park | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 47 | Mikumi National Park | ๐น๐ฟ Tanzania | |
| 48 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | ๐น๐ฟ Tanzania | |
| 49 | Aberdare National Park | ๐ฐ๐ช Kenya | |
| 50 | Table Mountain National Park | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 51 | Kibale National Park | ๐บ๐ฌ Uganda | |
| 52 | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | ๐บ๐ฌ Uganda |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ZooParc de Beauval | ๐ซ๐ท France | |
| 2 | Le rocher des aigles | ๐ซ๐ท France | |
| 3 | Kansas City Zoo | ๐บ๐ธ United States | |
| 4 | Wisentgehege Springe | ๐ฉ๐ช Germany | |
| 5 | Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park | ๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom | |
| 6 | Sรฃo Paulo Zoo | ๐ง๐ท Brazil | |
| 7 | Wildgehege Hellenthal | ๐ฉ๐ช Germany | |
| 8 | Fort Worth Zoo | ๐บ๐ธ United States | |
| 9 | Zoo Aquarium de Madrid | ๐ช๐ธ Spain | |
| 10 | Amaru | ๐ช๐จ Ecuador | |
| 11 | Valencia Bioparc | ๐ช๐ธ Spain | |
| 12 | Crocworld Conservation Centre | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 13 | Dullstroom Bird Of Prey & Rehabilitation Centre | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 14 | Oasi Naturalistica di Sant'Alessio | ๐ฎ๐น Italy | |
| 15 | Las รguilas Jungle Park | ๐ช๐ธ Spain | |
| 16 | Les Aigles du Lรฉman | ๐ซ๐ท France | |
| 17 | Jes Park | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 18 | World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa | |
| 19 | Gauntlet Birds of Prey | ๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom | |
| 20 | Thirsk Birds of Prey Centre | ๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom | |
| 21 | Sobela Ocean Aquarium | ๐บ๐ธ United States | |
| 22 | Carolina Raptor Center | ๐บ๐ธ United States | |
| 23 | Noctalis | ๐ฉ๐ช Germany | |
| 24 | Volerie des aigles | ๐ซ๐ท France | |
| 25 | Donjon des aigles | ๐ซ๐ท France | |
| 26 | Falconry of Kenya | ๐ฐ๐ช Kenya | |
| 27 | Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre | ๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa |
Closest Relatives at Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing an African Fish-Eagle in Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary?
Likely
About 50% of wildlife watchers report an African Fish-Eagle sighting in Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary on a given day, based on 104 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 39th most-seen of the 173 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see an African Fish-Eagle in Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary?
April
In that month about 70% of wildlife watchers report an African Fish-Eagle in Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary on a given day, against about 50% in November to January, the lowest months. That is one of Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary's driest months, with almost no rain against 55 mm in August. May to October have too few records to rate.
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 Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary the best place to see an African Fish-Eagle?
16th of 52
Of the 52 parks where we can rate African Fish-Eagle sightings, Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary ranks 16th at about 50%. The best odds are in Lake Nakuru National Park (Kenya, about 80%), Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal, about 70%) and Akagera National Park (Rwanda, about 70%). All parks ranked.
Which relatives of the African Fish-Eagle live in Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary?
Same family: Accipitridae
The closest relatives of the African Fish-Eagle that you can see in Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (family Accipitridae, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites) are Western Marsh-Harrier (about 70%), Black-winged Kite (about 40%) and Black Kite (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 Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (104 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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 "โ". How it works.
