Crowned eagle sought in Southern Cape
Engela Duvenhage
Cape Nature Conservation is asking nature lovers who are hiking through one of
the remaining natural forests of the Southern Cape, to be on the lookout for
signs of crowned eagles that have their home there.
Forests and the shy crowned eagle are synonymous. This big, dark brown bird,
which owes its name to the feathers on its head that stand upright like a beauty
queen's tiara, is one of the 15 eagle species found in Southern Africa. Its
habitat is the indigenous forests of tropical Africa from Guinea eastward into
Ethiopia and southward into the Southern Cape.
Here they live and hunt, hidden in the shadows and wooded areas. Only a
trained eye will notice an eagle where it is sitting motionlessly on a branch,
waiting for its prey to pass below on the forest floor. As far as could be
ascertained crowned eagles have the strongest talons of all eagles in Africa,
and they can use these to catch animals ranging from the small vervet monkey to
young bushbuck.
But during the breeding season, which lasts from July to November, visitors
to our indigenous forests are treated to a spectacular aerial display above the
tree tops, as they take flight in courtship. Then the distinct stripes under
their wings and tail are particularly visible.
Because it is easier to spot them at this time of year, conservationists are
asking people who enjoy the outdoors to help them monitor the distribution of
these birds in the Southern Cape.
Over the past three years members of Cape Nature Conservation and forestry
officials from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry have made regular
observations in the forests from Heidelberg to the border of the Western Cape at
the Storms River Mouth. "Although new data are being collected, we still
have too little information to be able to protect the birds effectively,"
explains Kevin Shaw, bird expert with Cape Nature Conservation.
"We only know of two 'new' nests, apart from the seven nests that were
known to us before," explains Shaw. "Unfortunately fewer than half of
these nests are still used by active breeding pairs."
Conservationists would like to know what became of the other breeding pairs
and whether there are other places within the Southern Cape distribution area
where crowned eagles nest. "There is definitely enough forest habitat to
sustain more breeding pairs," says Shaw. "We want to know whether
there are indeed crowned eagles in these 'vacant' areas."
Because their hunting grounds are so big, nests may sometimes be kilometers
apart.
The survival of the crowned eagle depends on the availability of its forest
habitat, which has shrunk severely in the past two centuries as a result of
deforestation, the timber industry, and over-utilization. Crowned eagles are
listed as vulnerable on the Red Data List for bird species in South Africa. Over
the years plantations have been established in areas that were once covered in
indigenous hardwood like yellow wood, ironwood and red pear trees. It seems,
however, that crowned eagles are quite picky when it comes to choosing where
they want to build their bulky stick nests.
"They might still hunt there, but they won't easily nest in a pine or
eucalyptus,' Shaw tells us. All the nests that have so far been discovered in
the Southern Cape were built in giant Outeniqua yellow wood trees. The exception
is a nest in the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve near Heidelberg, where a
breeding pair has built its nest in a giant black wattle standing in the
indigenous forest.
As is the case with many eagle species, crowned eagle pairs stay together for
life, and mostly use the same nest. They normally breed once every two years, as
they still have to baby-sit for more than nine months after the fledgling has
learned to fly. They do not chase the young one away from the breeding area, but
continue to bring him food until the young bird decides to fly away of its own
accord.
Those who can provide information on the location of birds or nests, can
contact Johan Huisamen of CNC at (044) 533-2125.
More Information:
Engela Duvenage
(021) 483-4842
082-874-1291
eduvenag@pawc.wcape.gov.za
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