Fish eagles are expert fishers. They perch high up on a branch overlooking the water, watching carefully with sharp eyes that can spot a fish moving beneath the surface from far away. When they see their target, they dive feet-first — talons stretched wide — and snatch the fish from the water so quickly that they are barely wet when they fly back up.
Their talons — the curved claws on their feet — have small spines on the underside that act like hooks to grip a slippery, wriggling fish. Once they have a firm grip, they carry the fish back to their perch and eat it there. If the fish is too heavy to carry, the eagle will sometimes drag it across the water surface to the bank.
The call of the African fish eagle is unforgettable — a wild, ringing cry that echoes across the water and through the trees. The male and female sometimes call together in a duet, throwing their heads back and crying out at the same time. Once you have heard it, you recognise it immediately.
African fish eagles build huge nests, called eyries, high in tall trees near water. They return to the same nest year after year, adding new sticks and branches each time, until the nest becomes enormous — sometimes the size of a small car. Both parents help to look after the eggs and chicks.