Bird Album
Martial Eagle
Polemaetus bellicosus (Daudin, 1800)
78–96 cmLength4 kgWeight
The martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) is a large eagle native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Busiest months: August and October–November · Most records: Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: August and October–November · Most records: Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa
Martial Eagle has been recorded at 349 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 27 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Nairobi NPKenya931 records
- Tarangire NPTanzania416 records
- Samburu NRKenya348 records
More places
- Serengeti NPTanzania307 records
- Amboseli NPKenya278 records
- Maasai Mara NR – Mara TriangleKenya262 records
- Buffalo Springs NRKenya251 records
- Lake Nakuru NPKenya249 records
- Maasai Mara NRKenya217 records
- Kruger NP – Satara CampSouth Africa189 records
Countries and regions with the most records
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
The martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) is a large eagle native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the only member of the genus Polemaetus. A species of the booted eagle subfamily (Aquilinae), it has feathers over its tarsus.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Martial Eagle?
The Martial Eagle is about 78–96 cm long and weighs around 4 kg.
Where does the Martial Eagle live?
Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.
When is the best time to see the Martial Eagle?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in August, October and November (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Martial Eagle endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Martial Eagle as Endangered.
What does the Martial Eagle eat?
Main food: Vertebrate prey.
What family is the Martial Eagle in?
It belongs to the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Accipitridae), order Accipitriformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 78–96 cm
- Weight
- 4 kg
- Habitat
- Grassland
- Diet
- Vertebrate prey
- Lifestyle
- Feeds in the air
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Endangered
More measurements
- Wing
- 572 mm
- Tail
- 256 mm
- Bill
- 54 mm
- Tarsus
- 112 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Africa: widespread
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Kites, Hawks, Eagles Accipitridae
- Genus
- Polemaetus
More from the family Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Pearl KiteGampsonyx swainsonii
Scissor-tailed KiteChelictinia riocourii
White-tailed KiteElanus leucurus
Black-winged KiteElanus caeruleus
Black-shouldered KiteElanus axillaris
Letter-winged KiteElanus scriptus
African Harrier-HawkPolyboroides typus
Madagascar Harrier-HawkPolyboroides radiatus
Palm-nut VultureGypohierax angolensis
Bearded VultureGypaetus barbatus
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from reference photos. ↗
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