African Fish-Eagle

Afrikaans name: Visarend

Adult African Fish-Eagle

Photo © Steven Herbert

Haliaeetus vocifer

The African Fish-Eagle is a well-known bird and its distinctive call can be hear over both cities and wild areas.

They can be found in any area where there is a large stretch of water nearby.

Female African Fish-Eagles are larger than males and can reach a wingspan of over 2 metres and a weight of around 3.5 kg.

A pair will stick together for life and will often re-use the same nest. Each year they add to it with the result that the nests can be quite large. They lay between 1 and 3 eggs.

The African Fish-Eagle is well known for its method of hunting fish. It keeps watch from a tree and, when it sees a suitable fish, will swoop down and snatch it from the surface of the water.

Although fish are their main food item they will also catch birds and reptiles if they can.

Above - Juvenile African Fish-Eagle

Photo © Steven Herbert

Roberts Birds Names by Edition

Edition	Roberts nr	Scientific name
1st	149	Cuncuma vocifer vocifer
2nd	149	Haliaeetus vocifer
3rd	149	Haliaeetus vocifer
4th	149	Haliaeetus vocifer
5th	148	Haliaeetus vocifer
6th	148	Haliaeetus vocifer
7th	350	Haliaeetus vocifer

Edition	Roberts nr	English name
1st	149	Cape Sea-Eagle
2nd	149	Fish Eagle
3rd	149	Fish Eagle
4th	149	Fish Eagle
5th	148	African Fish Eagle
6th	148	African Fish Eagle
7th	350	African Fish Eagle

Edition	Roberts nr	Afrikaans name
1st	149	Visarend
2nd	149	Visarend
3rd	149	Visarend
4th	149	Visarend
5th	148	Visarend
6th	148	Visarend
7th	350	Visarend

References and further reading

Wildlife of the Cape Peninsula - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 2001 - Page: 50

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 48

Wild Issue 20 - Author: - Published: 2012 - Page: 6

The Status & Conservation of Birds of Prey in the Transvaal - Author: W. Tarboton and D. Allan - Published: 1984 - Page: 62

Vanishing Eagles - Author: Philip Burton - Published: 1987 - Page: 26

The Coastal Guide of South Africa - Author: Jacana Media - Published: 2007 - Page: 98

The Birds of South Africa - Author: Hazel Stokes - Published: 1979 - Page: 9

The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 58

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 154

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Published: 1989 - Page: 69

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 92

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 88

Sasol Birds of Prey of Africa and its Islands - Author: Alan and Meg Kemp - Published: 1998 - Page: 50

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 128

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 107

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 133

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 78

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1975 - Page: 101

Roberts Bird Guide - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 2007 - Page: 144

Questions and Answers - Birds of Southern Africa - Author: Deirdre Richards - Published: 1990 - Page: 7

Places to Visit in Southern Africa - Author: AA RSA - Published: 1995 - Page: 370

Meeting with Birds - Author: Tom Spence - Published: 1986 - Page: 41

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 168

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 168

Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 409

Freshwater Life - Author: C. Griffiths, J. Day & M. Picker - Published: 2015 - Page: 56

Ian Sinclairs Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 72

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 52

Everyones Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 91

Eagle Days - Author: Peter Steyn - Published: 1973 - Page: 18

Eagles, Hawks & Falcons of the World - Author: Leslie Brown and Dean Amadon - Published: 1989 - Page: 282

Common Birds of the North Coast - Author: Bing Comrie - Published: 2005 - Page: 17

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 16

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 53

Birds of the Transkei - Author: C.D. Quickelberge - Published: 1989 - Page: 42

Birds of the Natal Drakensberg Park - Author: Robin Little and William Bainbridge - Published: 1992 - Page: 18

Birds of the South Western Cape - Author: Joy Frandsen - Published: 0 - Page: 56

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 74

Birds of Prey of the World - Author: Friedhelm Weick - Published: 1980 - Page: 74

Birds of Prey of Southern Africa - Author: Peter Steyn - Published: 1985 - Page: 136

Birds of Prey - A Kinship - Author: H. Von Michaelis - Published: 1987 - Page: 78

An Introduction to the Birds of Prey of South Africa - Author: D.V. Prout-Jones - Published: 1974 - Page: 109

Animals of the Kruger National Park - Author: G. de Graaff - Published: 1987 - Page: 67

Bird Atlas of Natal - Author: Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson - Published: 1980 - Page: 79

An Introduction to the Birds of Prey of South Africa - Author: D.V. Prout-Jones - Published: 1974 - Page: 32

African Wildlife - Vol 38 No 3 - Author: - Published: 1984 - Page: 117

African Wildlife - A photographic safari - Author: Nigel and Wendy Dennis - Published: 1999 - Page: 94

African Birds of Prey - Author: Leslie Brown - Published: 1970 - Page: 72

A First Guide to South African Birds - 6th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1959 - Page: 127

A First Guide to South African Birds - 7th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1975 - Page: 127

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 74

BirdLife South Africa

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List of South African Birds