Southern Banded Snake Eagle (Circaetus fasciolatus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Southern Banded Snake Eagle

Circaetus fasciolatus Kaup, 1847

55–60 cmLength1 kgWeight

The southern banded snake eagle (Circaetus fasciolatus), also known as the East African snake eagle or fasciated snake eagle, is a species of snake eagle in the family Accipitridae which is found in eastern Sub-Saharan Africa.

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique

Near Threatened

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique

Southern Banded Snake Eagle has been recorded at 25 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 5 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. iSimangaliso WP – Eastern ShoresSouth Africa216 records
  2. Arabuko-Sokoke Forest NRKenya172 records
  3. East Usambara Mountains – Amani Nature ReserveTanzania72 records
More places
  1. Phinda GR – AirfieldSouth Africa68 records
  2. Bonamanzi GRSouth Africa29 records
  3. St Lucia – iGwalagwala TrailSouth Africa23 records
  4. DO NOT USE** Ndumo GRSouth Africa21 records
  5. St Lucia – iMfolozi River mouthSouth Africa20 records
  6. Coutada 12Mozambique19 records
  7. Mkhuze GRSouth Africa17 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaKenyaMozambiqueTanzaniaZimbabwe

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 southern banded snake eagle (Circaetus fasciolatus), also known as the East African snake eagle or fasciated snake eagle, is a species of snake eagle in the family Accipitridae which is found in eastern Sub-Saharan Africa.

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

Questions

How big is the Southern Banded Snake Eagle?

The Southern Banded Snake Eagle is about 55–60 cm long and weighs around 1 kg.

Where does the Southern Banded Snake Eagle live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Kenya to northeastern South Africa. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Kenya and Mozambique.

When is the best time to see the Southern Banded Snake Eagle?

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

Is the Southern Banded Snake Eagle endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Southern Banded Snake Eagle as Near Threatened.

What does the Southern Banded Snake Eagle eat?

Main food: Vertebrate prey.

What family is the Southern Banded Snake Eagle in?

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

At a glance

Length
55–60 cm
Weight
1 kg
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Vertebrate prey
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Near Threatened
More measurements
Wing
362 mm
Tail
227 mm
Bill
40 mm
Tarsus
72 mm

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

Range

Africa: Kenya to northeastern South Africa

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 cinerascensCongo Serpent EagleCongo Serpent EagleCircaetus spectabilisBeaudouin's Snake EagleBeaudouin's Snake EagleCircaetus beaudouiniBlack-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
Southern Banded Snake Eagle

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

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