Beaudouin's Snake Eagle (Circaetus beaudouini)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Beaudouin's Snake Eagle

Circaetus beaudouini Verreaux, J & des Murs, 1862

1.5 kgWeight

Beaudouin's snake eagle (Circaetus beaudouini) is a species of snake eagle in the family Accipitridae found in the Sahel region of west Africa.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Gambia, Uganda, Ghana

Vulnerable

Where and when it's recorded

Beaudouin's Snake Eagle has been recorded at 71 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 16 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Kartong WetlandGambia63 records
  2. Tendaba Bush Camp – Mangrove Boat RideGambia50 records
  3. Queen Elizabeth II NP – Kasenyi TrackUganda42 records
More places
  1. Queen Elizabeth II NPUganda32 records
  2. Mole NPGhana29 records
  3. Murchison Falls NP – North sideUganda26 records
  4. PN du Delta du Saloum – Mangroves Toubacouta/SipoSenegal24 records
  5. Kampanti Raptor BridgeGambia19 records
  6. Mole NP – Mole Hotel & waterholeGhana18 records
  7. Campement de WassadouSenegal17 records

Countries and regions with the most records

GambiaUgandaGhanaSenegalKenyaEthiopiaCameroonChad

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

Beaudouin's snake eagle (Circaetus beaudouini) is a species of snake eagle in the family Accipitridae found in the Sahel region of west Africa. It forms a superspecies with the Palearctic short-toed snake eagle Circaetus gallicus and the black-chested snake eagle Circaetus pectoralis. This bird seems to be declining in numbers and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as a "vulnerable species".

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Beaudouin's Snake Eagle?

The Beaudouin's Snake Eagle weighs around 1.5 kg.

Where does the Beaudouin's Snake Eagle live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Senegal to South Sudan, northwestern Kenya and Uganda. It is most often recorded in Gambia, Uganda and Ghana.

When is the best time to see the Beaudouin's Snake Eagle?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Beaudouin's Snake Eagle endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Beaudouin's Snake Eagle as Vulnerable.

What does the Beaudouin's Snake Eagle eat?

Main food: Vertebrate prey.

What family is the Beaudouin's Snake Eagle in?

It belongs to the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae), order Accipitriformes.

At a glance

Weight
1.5 kg
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Vertebrate prey
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Vulnerable
More measurements
Wing
502 mm
Tail
260 mm
Bill
46 mm
Tarsus
79 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: Senegal to South Sudan, northwestern Kenya and Uganda

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Kites, Hawks, Eagles Accipitridae
Genus
Circaetus

Other birds in the genus Circaetus

Western Banded Snake EagleWestern Banded Snake EagleCircaetus cinerascensSouthern Banded Snake EagleSouthern Banded Snake EagleCircaetus fasciolatusCongo Serpent EagleCongo Serpent EagleCircaetus spectabilisBlack-chested Snake EagleBlack-chested Snake EagleCircaetus pectoralisShort-toed Snake EagleShort-toed Snake EagleCircaetus gallicusBrown Snake EagleBrown Snake EagleCircaetus cinereusPearl KitePearl KiteGampsonyx swainsoniiScissor-tailed KiteScissor-tailed KiteChelictinia riocouriiWhite-tailed KiteWhite-tailed KiteElanus leucurusBlack-winged KiteBlack-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
Beaudouin's Snake Eagle

Download illustration

Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Attila Steiner. ↗

WebP · 1070 px

Heard it but can't see it? Mingji identifies birds by sound and photo, on your phone.

In other languages