martial eagle
Birds of Namibia
Introduction: Martial eagles (Polemaetus bellicosus) soar impressively over flat country with characteristic open woodland, shrubland or farmland. They are rare in mountainous regions. Pylons, poles and tall trees are favoured night-time roosting locations.
Distribution: Throughout Namibia including Etosha National Park, Caprivi, Namib Desert, Fish River Canyon and Kalahari Desert.
Diet: Hunts on the wing or perches undercover at waterholes to attack larger birds coming to drink. Prey includes mammals, birds, reptiles such as hares, rabbits, warthog, Chacma baboon, Black-backed jackals, bat-eared fox, rabbits, ground squirrel, pangolin, aardwolf, fruit-bats, hornbills, rock monitor, Egyptian cobra, terrapins and tortoises.
Description: Africa's largest eagle with characteristic long, broad wings, shortish tail, strong bill, long legs and toes adapted to catch fast-moving prey in open habitats up to the size of a small antelope. Polemaetus is Greek for 'war-like eagle' and bellicosus is Latin also for 'war-like'.
Breeding: Only 1 egg is laid in large stick nest between April and August and incubated for around 50 days.
Size: 80cm. Weight: 3.3kg. Wingspan: 2.4m.
Bullsport Guest Farm
The settlement of Bullsport is marked on nearly every map, however it consists of little more than the guest farm. Great for hiking.
Tsauchab River Camp
Rustic lodge on the banks of the Tsauchab River - an excellent place for walking and enjoying the surrounding scenery
Zebra River Lodge
Another excellent place for hiking, in the Tsaris Mountains. As there are many lodges located closer to Sossusvlei than Zebra River Lodge it is often overlooked, but if you want a genuinely warm welcome at a special lodge then the problems of location can easily be overlooked.
