Bateleur

Terathopius ecaudatus

Wingspan

170–190cm

Body length

55–70cm

Weight

1,800–2,500g

Profile

Life expectancy
Clutch size: 1 egg
Global status
Activity
Migration

Identification

The extremely short tail and long, broad wings make the adult recognisable even as a silhouette. Red, unfeathered facial skin and legs contrast with the dark body. Juveniles are brown and have a longer tail.

Colours

Plumage

Eyes

Legs & feet

Male · Chestnut

Black head and body, chestnut back and short chestnut tail. In the male the black trailing edge of the pale underwing is broad.

Besides the usual chestnut back there is a rare cream morph with a paler, pale chestnut tail. The black body remains. Both back colours can be selected for males and females; the sex features on the wing remain. The brown juvenile plumage is shown as a separate age class. The back colour choice applies to adults only.

Behaviour

In low search flight the Bateleur keeps tilting slightly from side to side. Depending on its excitement, its facial skin can appear a deeper red. It spends a lot of time over open country.

Breeding & rearing

The pair builds a stick nest in a tree fork. After several months in the nest the young bird fledges, but remains dependent on its parents for food for a long time.

Diet

Prey examples

Mice

Snakes

Pigeons

The Bateleur seeks both live vertebrates and carrion. Its prey includes small mammals, birds and especially snakes.

Hunting

Search flight Scavenging

In low gliding flight it scans large areas for small vertebrates and carrion. When it spots suitable prey on the ground, it moves in for a targeted strike.

Distribution

Range

Sub-Saharan Africa

Habitat

Savannahs, open dry woodland and open country with scattered tall trees.

Open grassland with scattered acacias — Savannahs