Martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus), Serengeti.
Image: Thomas Fuhrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Birds
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The martial eagle is the largest eagle in Africa, a powerful predator of open country. It is assessed as Endangered.
It hunts prey as large as small antelopes, gamebirds, and monitor lizards.
Range & habitat
Open habitats across sub-Saharan Africa.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Persecution by farmers
- Collisions and electrocution
- Prey and habitat loss
Why it matters
As Africa's largest eagle and a wide-ranging apex predator, the martial eagle is an indicator of the health of large, open landscapes.
Gallery
Martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus).
Image: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Martial Eagle
- IUCN Red List — look up Martial Eagle (authoritative status)
- BirdLife International
Frequently Asked Questions
How powerful is the martial eagle?
It is Africa's largest eagle and strong enough to take prey such as small antelopes, large gamebirds, and monitor lizards, hunting over vast territories.
Why is the martial eagle Endangered?
Published assessments cite persecution by farmers (who may see it as a threat to livestock), collisions and electrocution on power infrastructure, and prey and habitat loss. See the IUCN Red List.
Last updated: