Black-chested Snake Eagle
A species of Snake-eagles Scientific name : Circaetus pectoralis Genus : Snake-eagles
Black-chested Snake Eagle, A species of Snake-eagles
Botanical name: Circaetus pectoralis
Genus: Snake-eagles
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Alandmanson , used under CC-BY-SA-4.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Description
The black-chested snake eagle or black-breasted snake eagle (Circaetus pectoralis) is a large African bird of prey of the family Accipitridae. It resembles other snake eagles and was formerly considered conspecific with the short-toed and Beaudouin's snake eagles, to which it is closely related.
Size
71 cm
Nest Placement
Tree
Feeding Habits
Black-chested Snake Eagle primarily consumes venomous snakes, lizards, insects, small mammals, and frogs. It hunts from perches or by hovering, using a parachute-like descent to capture prey. Unique dietary adaptations include a reliance on small mammal abundance, varying seasonally.
Habitat
The black-chested Snake Eagle thrives in diverse environments including open acacia and miombo woodlands, grasslands, thornbush savannas, and semi-arid to desert regions. It avoids densely forested and mountainous terrains, preferring lower elevations up to 3400 meters. While commonly solitary, black-chested Snake Eagle may congregate in large roosts during non-breeding periods. The species adapts well to human-altered landscapes, utilizing farmlands and even nesting on man-made structures. Black-chested Snake Eagle coexists peacefully with similar raptors across overlapping territories.
Dite type
Carnivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Distribution Area
This species has an Afrotropical distribution and can be found throughout southern and East Africa, from Ethiopia and Sudan in the north to South Africa (north of 26S) in the south, ranging as far west as the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo and southeastern Gabon. It is a partial migrant, with many populations in southern Africa and East Africa appearing to be resident year-round, while the species has only ever been recorded as a breeding visitor in Sudan and as a largely non-breeding visitor in Ethiopia and the former Transvaal, where it is considered locally nomadic. However, seasonal movements have been recorded even in areas in which the species is considered resident, for example in Zimbabwe, where there is an influx of birds in the dry winter months.
Species Status
The species is categorized as Least Concern by the IUCN and BirdLife International. Although widespread, its status varies from uncommon to locally common, and its numbers fluctuate even in areas in which it is believed to be resident. For example, in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park it has been reported to be very abundant in certain years, but very scarce to virtually absent from the area in others. Brown (1982) suggested that these apparent fluctuations in population size may be the result of range overlap between resident and migratory or nomadic populations, although seasonal fluctuations in prey availability may also play a role. Anthropogenic causes of death in the species include the common threats of drowning, shooting, electrocution and collision with power lines. Recovery of seven out of 289 birds ringed between 1948-1998 suggested that drowning in sheer-walled water reservoirs was the most common cause of death (2 birds), followed by shooting and electrocution or collision with power lines (1 bird each). However, anthropogenic mortality appears to be low in this species, with only one black-chested snake eagle found drowned in a water reservoir in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park between 1988–1994, while five of the seven ringed birds recovered between 1948 and 1998 survived for periods ranging from 3.5 years to 13 years after ringing.
Photo By Alandmanson , used under CC-BY-SA-4.0 /Cropped and compressed from original