the australian swellshark or draughtboard shark ( cephaloscyllium laticeps ) is a species of catshark , and part of the family scyliorhinidae , endemic to southern australia .

this bottom-dwelling species can be found on the continental shelf down to a depth of 220 m ( 720 ft ) .

usually measuring 1 m ( 3 ft ) long , it is a stout-bodied , broad-headed shark with a short tail and a first dorsal fin much larger than the second .

it can be identified by its variegated dorsal coloration of brown or gray patches and numerous spots .

australian swellsharks are sedentary and mainly nocturnal , with most individuals remaining within the same local area throughout the year .

it feeds on small crustaceans , cephalopods , and fishes .

when threatened , it responds by rapidly taking in water or air to inflate its body , hence the name " swellshark " .

this shark is oviparous and females lay pairs of distinctively ridged egg capsules at 20 - to 30-day intervals .

the eggs hatch after 11 – 12 months .

harmless and of little commercial interest , many australian swellsharks are caught incidentally in gillnets and bottom trawls but usually survive to be released because of their extreme hardiness .

as a result , the international union for conservation of nature ( iucn ) has assessed this species as of least concern .

australian swellshark

distribution of leukocytes as indicators of stress in the australian swellshark , cephaloscyllium laticeps .
distribution of leukocytes as indicators of stress in the australian swellshark , cephaloscyllium laticeps . - pubmed - ncbi
the draughtboard shark has been called a number of other common names including australian swellshark , flopguts , isabell ' s swell shark , nutcracker shark , rock shark , sleepy joe , spotted swellshark , swell shark and whitefinned swellshark .
the australian swellshark occurs inshore on the continental shelf to depths of at least 60 m ( last and stevens 2009 ) .
a reticulate swellshark , cephaloscyllium hiscosellum . source : australian national fish collection , csiro . license : cc by attribution - noncommercial
cook ' s swellshark , cephaloscyllium cooki . source : australian national fish collection , csiro . license : cc by attribution - noncommercial
van rijn j . 2009 . physiological stress associated with the capture , handling and captivity of the australian swellshark ( cephaloscyllium laticeps ) , an abundant by - catch species in southern australian fisheries , honours thesis , monash university .
the whitefin swellshark is a poorly known species and its population size not known .
) . in any instance , it demonstrates the impact of upper slope commercial trawling on swellsharks , where the whitefin swellshark occurs sympatrically with the saddled swellshark . last
new skates of the genus dipturus ( rajoidei : rajidae ) from australian seas .
: a new species of swellshark ( carcharhiniformes : scyliorhinidae ) from papua new guinea .
walker ti . southern australian shark fishery management . in : shotton r , editor .
redescription of chimaera ogilbyi ( chimaeriformes ; chimaeridae ) from the indo - australian region .
three new angel sharks ( chondrichthyes : squatinidae ) from the indo - australian region .
) is a recently described australian species . this assessment replaces the 2003 red list assessment for
the map below shows the australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in australian museums . click on the map for detailed information . source : atlas of living australia .
aciar monograph no . 189 . australian centre for international agricultural research : canberra . 327 pp .
and unlike that shark , the swellshark is more tolerant of water temperatures below 20°c ( 70°f ) .
cephaloscyllium albipinnum sp . nov . , a new swellshark ( carcharhiniformes : scyliorhinidae ) from southeastern australia .
cephaloscyllium hiscosellum sp . nov . , a new swellshark ( carcharhiniformes : scyliorhinidae ) from northwestern australia .
munro , i . s . r . 1961 ,
handbook of australian fishes . nos 1–42
, australian fisheries newsletter , vol . 15–17 , 19 , 20 , pp . 1 - 172
. ( 2008 ) suggests that a listing of near threatened remains appropriate for the whitefin swellshark despite the confusion with the saddled swellshark . fishing effort on the new south wales upper slope remains high and ongoing .
günther , taken in south - eastern australian waters . aust j mar freshwat res 37 : 689–697 .
) , an abundant by - catch species in southern australian fisheries , honours thesis , monash university .
during the time when the air is in its stomach , the swellshark floats upward to the water surface .
sp . nov . , a new swellshark ( carcharhiniformes : scyliorhinidae ) from northwestern australia . pp . 171–178
the hatching time for swellshark eggs solely depend on water temperature but usually will hatch between 7 . 5–12 months .
australia : australian fisheries management authority project r03 / 1553 final report , primary industries research victoria ; 2006 . 36
description of two new species of gummy sharks , genus mustelus ( carcharhiniformes : triakidae ) , from australian waters .
the whitefin swellshark is a stocky species measuring up to 1 . 1 m ( 3 . 6 ft ) long .
hydrolagus lemures ( blackfin ghostshark ) common and wide - ranging chimaera of the australian outer continental shelf and upper slopes .
the australian swellshark is endemic to southern australia and is found from the recherche archipelago in western australia ( 34°06´s , 123°10´e ) to jervis bay in new south wales ( 35°06´s , 150°48´e ) , including tasmania ( last and stevens 2009 ) .
the conservation status of the painted swellshark has not been evaluated by the international union for conservation of nature ( iucn ) .
life histories of two deep - water australian endemic elasmobranchs : argus skate dipturus polyommata and eastern spotted gummy shark mustelus walkeri .
spp . off new south wales over a twenty - year period . there has been some confusion with the similar saddled swellshark (
stead , d g . , 1963 . sharks and rays of australian seas . sydney , angus and robertson , 211 p .
description of a new species of weasel shark , hemigaleus australiensis n . sp . ( carcharhiniformes : hemigaleidae ) from australian waters .
the painted swellshark was initially identified with the australian cephaloscyllium
sp . e
, now known to consist of the flagtail swellshark ( c . signourum ) and the speckled swellshark ( c . speccum ) , because of their similar variegated color patterns . genetic data showed this shark to be distinct from the two australian species , and it was described in a 2008 commonwealth scientific and industrial research organisation ( csiro ) publication by peter last , bernard séret , and william white . its specific epithet is derived from the latin pictus , meaning
painted
. the type specimen is a 65 cm ( 26 in ) long adult male obtained at lombok , indonesia .
australia : australian fisheries management authority project r2006 / 823 final report , fisheries research branch , department of primary industries ; 2009 . 123
there are no conservation actions for the whitefin swellshark . research needs to be conducted into the life history and levels of bycatch of this species .
in the water , the swellshark will become motionless . however , if it is threatened , it will swell up to double its regular size .
this swellshark is rare in museum collections and is most likely rare to uncommon in the wild . nothing is known of the population size or structure .
the conservation status of the cook ' s swellshark has not been evaluated by the international union for conservation of nature ( iucn ) . [ 4 ]
last , p . r . , white , w . t . & pogonoski , j . j . ( eds ) : descriptions of new australian chondrichthyans .
last , p . r . , white , w . t . & pogonoski , j . j . ( eds ) . descriptions of new australian chondrichthyans .
as all known specimens of the painted swellshark have come from fish markets on the indonesian islands of bali and lombok , its exact range and habitat preferences are uncertain .
another hunting tactic used by the swellshark is to lie on the bottom of the ocean with its mouth open , waiting for a fish to swim into its mouth .
scientific synonyms and common names cephalosoyllium laticeps ( dumeril , 1853 ) scyllium laticeps dumeril , 1853 , rev . mag . zool . , ser . 2 , 5 : 84 . synonymy : none . fao names : australian swellshark [ english ] holbiche gressouillette [ french ] pejegato australiano [ spanish ] scyl cep 3 [ fao code ]
like other cephaloscyllium species , the cook ' s swellshark is capable of inflating itself as a defensive measure . almost nothing is known of its natural history . [ 3 ]
the australian swellshark supported a mean annual catch of 220 t whole mass during the 7 - year period 2000–06 estimated by combining monitoring data from scientific onboard observers and mandatory catch and effort returns submitted by commercial fishing operators in the south east trawl sector of the southern and eastern scalefish and shark fishery . the catch was taken off southern new south wales and eastern victoria by demersal otter trawl ( 84 % ) and danish seine ( 16 % ) of which 47 % was retained for marketing and 53 % discarded ( walker and gason 2007 ) . in addition , the australian swellshark is one of the most commonly caught bycatch species in the shark gillnet fishery of southeastern australia because of high gillnet selectivity by 6 - and 7 - inch mesh - sizes ( walker et al . 2005 , braccini et al . 2009 ) . the australian swellshark is usually returned to the water alive and fishing mortality is low due to its resilience ; it can survive for considerable time out of the water ( frick et al . 2009 ) .
frick lh , reina rd , walker ti . the physiological response of port jackson sharks and australian swellsharks to sedation , gill - net capture , and repeated sampling in captivity .
the flagtail swellshark , a deepwater benthic catshark , is presently recorded from only two specimens trawled on the northeastern australian continental slope at depths of 480–700 m ( last et al . 2008 , last and stevens 2009 ) . maximum size is at least 74 cm total length ( last et al . 2008 , last and stevens 2009 ) . nothing is known of the biology of the species .
the swellshark , cephaloscyllium ventriosum , is a catshark of the family scyliorhinidae . it is found in the subtropical eastern pacific ocean between latitudes 40° n and 37° s , from the surface to 460 m .
mcculloch , a . r . 1929 ,
a check - list of the fishes recorded from australia . part i
, memoirs of the australian museum , vol . 5 , pp . 1–144
the distribution of the flagtail swellshark overlaps slightly with the range of the australian commonwealth - managed coral sea fishery . this is a relatively small - scale fishery with no trawl effort since the 2006 - 07 fishing season ( noriega et al . 2014 ) . trawling in the past within this fishery has been low effort , and it is possible that this catshark was a bycatch of trawling and possibly line fishing .
there are no conservation actions in place for the flagtail swellshark . the species would benefit from the implementation of the coral sea commonwealth marine reserve . the distribution and status of this species needs to be better defined .
the cook ' s swellshark is only found in the arafura sea , from the northern territory of australia to the tanimbar islands of indonesia . it resides in water 223–300 m ( 732–984 ft ) deep . [ 2 ]
worldwide , as it is usually not fished by divers and fishermen due to its poor flesh quality . however the occasional swellshark is killed by fishermen and this along with its low egg production may put the species at risk .
walker ti ( 1999 ) southern australian shark fishery management . in : shotton r , editor . case studies of the management of elasmobranch fisheries . rome : fao fisheries tech pap 378 / 2 . pp . 480–514 .
we thank thomas weller , christopher mccormack , derek dapp and lauren hall for assistance with field work . we thank roderick watson and elizabeth mcgrath from the victorian marine science consortium ( vmsc ) . this work was funded by the australian research council linkage grants lp110200572 to rr & tiw ; department of economic development , jobs , transport and resources ( dedjtr ) victoria ; australian fisheries management authority ( afma ) ; melbourne aquarium and monash university .
over 11 , 000 individuals from 25 chondrichthyan species were assessed in this study . only six species ( school , gummy , thresher , and whiskery sharks , smooth hammerhead ( sphyrna zygaena ) , and elephantfish ) had immediate pcs < 0 . 50 and the majority of discarded individuals had high total pcs , indicating that most of the catch reaching the deck of vessels is alive and likely to survive the initial handling and release process . other studies on gillnet fishing also showed high values of pcs . for example , bonnethead , blacktip and bull sharks captured in commercial gillnets had > 0 . 60 pcs [ 17 ] , [ 18 ] . the findings reported in the present study are also consistent with controlled studies of survivorship following commercial gillnet capture and handling . laboratory studies of physiological stress and pcs on representative species from vulnerable ( gummy shark ) and robust ( port jackson shark and australian swellshark ) species , showed that gummy shark had a much lower ( 0 . 30 ) pcs than port jackson shark ( 1 . 00 ) and australian swellshark ( 0 . 98 ) [ 27 ] , [ 28 ] , [ 35 ] , [ 36 ] . these laboratory findings match very closely the pcs estimates of gummy ( 0 . 26 ) , port jackson shark ( 0 . 97 ) and australian swellshark ( 0 . 94 ) based on the risk assessment approach .
funding : this project was funded through an australian fisheries management authority grant ( r2006 / 823 ) . the funders had no role in study design , data collection and analysis , decision to publish , or preparation of the manuscript .
frick lh , reina rd , walker ti ( 2009 ) the physiological response of port jackson sharks and australian swellsharks to sedation , gill - net capture , and repeated sampling in captivity . north am j fish manage 29 : 127–139 .
) . for each species , sample sizes varied according to their natural abundance , availability and gillnet catchability in the studied area . the most abundant species , and hence those for which pcs estimates are more robust , were gummy and school sharks , and common sawshark ( which comprised the bulk of the retained catch ) , and australian swellshark , port jackson shark and spikey dogfish ( which comprised the bulk of the discarded catch ) . immediate pcs varied from 1 . 00 for spotted (
hobday aj , smith adm , webb h , daley r , wayte s , et al . ecological risk assessment for the effects of fishing : methodology . 2007 . 174 australian fisheries management authority r04 / 1072 final report , csiro publishing .
the flagtail swellshark is only known with certainty from off northeast queensland , australia ( murray isles and lihou reef ) , but may also occur around new caledonia , vanuatu , and fiji ( last et al . 2008 , last and stevens 2009 ) .
since the swellshark often enters lobster traps to find food , it will sometimes get caught incidentally and killed when brought to the surface . this accidental catching threatens the species mainly because of its age at maturity and the low number of eggs it produces .
last , p . r . , b . séret and w . t . white ( 2008 ) .
new swellsharks ( cephaloscyllium : scyliorhinidae ) from the indo - australian region
in last , p . r . , w . t . white and j . j . pogonoski ( eds ) . descriptions of new australian chondrichthyans . csiro marine and atmospheric research paper no . 022 : 129–146 . isbn 0 - 1921424 - 1 - 0 ( corrected ) ( invalid , listed in publication ) .
hobday aj , smith adm , webb h , daley r , wayte s , et al . ( 2007 ) ecological risk assessment for the effects of fishing : methodology . 174 p . australian fisheries management authority r04 / 1072 final report , csiro publishing .
there is scant natural history information on the painted swellshark . like other cephaloscyllium species , it is capable of taking in water or air to increase its girth when threatened . in males , sexual maturity is attained under a length of 58 cm ( 23 in ) .
at least some of the species are ovoparous , depositing eggs in elongated , flattened egg cases on the bottom . one genus ( parascyllium ) is confined to australian waters , while the second ( cirrhoscyllium ) occurs in the china sea north to japan and taiwan island .
whitley , g . p . , 1940 . the fishes of australia . part 1 . the sharks , rays , devilfish , and other primitive fishes of australia and new zealand . australian zoology handbooks . mozman , royal zoological society of new south wales , 280 p .
koopman m , gason ash , talman sg , stokie tk , berrie se ( 2006 ) integrated scientific monitoring program - gillnet , hook and trap fishery annual report 2005 . australia : australian fisheries management authority project r03 / 1553 final report , primary industries research victoria . 36 p .
last , p . r . , h . motomura , and w . t . white ( 2008 ) .
cephaloscyllium albipinnum sp . nov . , a new swellshark ( carcharhiniformes : scyliorhinidae ) from southeastern australia
in last , p . r . , w . t . white and j . j . pogonoski ( eds ) . descriptions of new australian chondrichthyans . csiro marine and atmospheric research paper no . 022 : 147–157 . isbn 0 - 1921424 - 1 - 0 ( corrected ) isbn 1 - 921424 - 18 - 2 ( invalid , listed in publication ) .
braccini jm , walker ti , gason ad ( 2009 ) ghatf shark survey of population abundance and population size composition for target , byproduct and bycatch species . australia : australian fisheries management authority project r2006 / 823 final report , fisheries research branch , department of primary industries . 123 p .
the area inhabited by the whitefin swellshark is subject to intensive fishing effort . this bottom dwelling shark is susceptible to capture by trawlers and is a common component of trawl bycatch off southern australia ( last and stevens 2009 ) . in comparative surveys of the south east fishery trawl grounds from 197677 and 199697 ( graham
the australian south east trawl fishery , which operates off new south wales , over a third of this shark ' s range reported that its catch rate dropped over 30 % between 1967–77 and 1996–97 . the south east trawl fishery observer program off southern australia has also reported a slight population decline . as a result , the
the flagtail swellshark ( cephaloscyllium signourum ) was described by last et al . ( 2008 ) and was previously referred to in part as cephaloscyllium sp . e in last and stevens ( 1994 ) . in that volume , this species was thought to also occur off northwestern australia , but that form has since been described as cephaloscyllium speccum last , séret & white , 2008 . as such , c . signourum is restricted to the western central pacific and is known from certainty only off queensland , australia . similar forms from new caledonia , vanuatu and fiji need to be critically compared with the australian specimens in order to determine their identity ( last et al . 2008 ) .
the cook ' s swellshark was described by peter last , bernard séret , and william white in a 2008 commonwealth scientific and industrial research organisation ( csiro ) publication . [ 2 ] it is named in honor of the late shark fishery biologist and conservationist sid cook . the type specimen is a 29 cm ( 11 in ) long adult male collected from the arafura sea . [ 2 ]
a total of 11 , 501 individuals from 25 shark , ray and chimaera species were assessed ( table 2 ) . for each species , sample sizes varied according to their natural abundance , availability and gillnet catchability in the studied area . the most abundant species , and hence those for which pcs estimates are more robust , were gummy and school sharks , and common sawshark ( which comprised the bulk of the retained catch ) , and australian swellshark , port jackson shark and spikey dogfish ( which comprised the bulk of the discarded catch ) . immediate pcs varied from 1 . 00 for spotted ( orectolobus maculatus ) and cobbler ( sutorectus tentaculatus ) wobbegongs , and greenback stingaree ( urolophus viridis ) to 0 . 07 for whiskery shark ( furgaleus macki ) ( table 2 ) .
. the survey was designed to represent fishing practices commonly used in the sessf . data were collected on board five commercial shark fishing vessels ( 15 . 3–21 m long ) using a fleet of demersal monofilament gillnets of five mesh sizes ( 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , and 8 inches ) at 168 sites from eastern bass strait to the head of the great australian bight (
for each individual , total pcs was calculated as the product of immediate and delayed pcs . this information used as the response variable in a glm with a quasibinomial distribution and logit link function to estimate the total pcs for each species . then , a similar glm model was used to test the effects of sex , depth , body size , net soak time , and water temperature on total pcs . this analysis was only performed for the most abundant species ( common sawshark ( pristiophorus cirratus ) , australian swellshark ( cephaloscyllium laticeps ) , gummy , port jackson , and school ( galeorhinus galeus ) sharks , and spikey dogfish ( squalus megalops ) , table 2 ) . the opportunistic nature of data collection prevented the modelling of term interactions due to the little contrast in some of the interactions .
the whitefin swellshark is endemic to southern australia on the outer continental shelf and upper slope in depths of 126554 m . very little is known about the biology of this species . it is susceptible to trawling and is known to be a common component of bycatch in southern australia . parts of its range are subjected to intensive benthic fishing . declines of > 30 % have been observed for catch rates of slope
. reaching 1 . 1 m ( 3 . 6 ft ) in length , this shark has a very thick body and a short , broad , flattened head with a large mouth . it is characterized by a dorsal color pattern of dark saddles and blotches over a brown to gray background , and light fin margins . when threatened the whitefin swellshark can inflate itself with water or air to increase its size .
the australian swellshark is one of the most abundant shark species of southern australia . analyses of data from scientific onboard observer monitoring of commercial trawl catches and fishing effort indicate for the 11 - year period 1996–2006 that overall relative abundance ( standardised catch per unit effort ) had not declined off southern new south wales and eastern victoria ( walker and gason 2007 ) . fishery - independent survey of the gillnet shark fishery , which occurs mainly west of the demersal trawl fishery , showed no decline in abundance between 1973–76 and 2007–08 ; i . e . , mean ( ±standard error ) of 1 , 761 ( ±711 ) to 2 , 586 ( ±475 ) and 2 , 186 ( ±653 ) to 3 , 424 ( ±646 ) sharks per 1 , 000 km - lift hours for 6 - and 7 - inch mesh - size , respectively
our pcs estimates are based on the assumption that deck handling time is kept to a minimum ( i . e . individuals are quickly returned to the water after removal from the net ) . however , individuals from port jackson shark , australian swellshark and southern eagle ray ( myliobatis australis ) can be left on deck for several hours before returning to the water . furthermore , fishers may ‘strike’ individuals of these species on the head to reduce on board thrashing prior to discarding ( j . m . braccini personal observation ) . the combination of extended time out of water and deliberate mistreatment of discards is likely to decrease pcs and needs to be quantified to obtain more accurate estimates . several other potential factors not quantified in this study ( e . g . sun exposure , humidity , sea condition , or pressure change ) that may affect pcs should also be considered .
implementation of the management plan ( operational since 1 july 2013 ) for the south - east commonwealth marine reserves network ( proclaimed in 2007 ) prohibits demersal otter trawl and danish seining , and in some areas all other fishing methods , in 14 commonwealth marine reserves ( including one at macquarie island outside the range of this species ) covering ~ 388 , 464 km 2 over a diverse range of temperate marine environments on the continental shelf , continental slope , and abyssal plain . stretching from the far south coast of new south wales , around tasmania and victoria , and west to kangaroo island off south australia , the network provides several refuges over the entire depth range of the australian swellshark ( anonymous 2013 ) . the management plan for the south - west commonwealth marine reserves network ( not yet implemented as of february 2016 ) is similarly expected to provide further refuges for the species .
several general management measures benefit the conservation of australian swell shark , in particular fishery restructuring and spatial management arrangements . restructuring of the southern and eastern scalefish and shark fishery took place during 2006–07 through buy - back of commonwealth fishing licences ( penney et al . 2014 ) along with implementation of markedly reduced overall fishing effort with progressive reductions in total allowable catches ( tacs ) , particularly in southern new south wales ( walker and gason 2007 ) .
white , w . t . and d . a . ebert , 2008 . cephaloscyllium hiscosellum sp . nov . , a new swell shark ( carcharhiniformes : scyliorhinidae ) from northwestern australia . pp . 147 - 157 . in p . r . last , w . t . white and j . j . pogonoski ( eds ) . descriptions of new australian chondrichthyans . csiro marine and atmospheric research paper no . 22 . 365 p . ( ref . 76949 )
please send your images of
cephaloscyllium laticeps
to info @ urltoken cephaloscyllium laticeps : dorsal view , lateral view of adult ( csiro h 1264–13 , adult female 820 mm tl ) ; in : last , p . r . & motomura , h . & white , w . t . ( 2008 ) : cephaloscyllium albipinnum sp . nov . , a new swellshark ( carcharhiniformes : scyliorhinidae ) from southeastern australia . csiro marine and atmospheric research paper , 22 : 147 - 158
the observed declines discussed above are only over about one third of the known range of the whitefin swellshark although intensive fishing also occurs on the slope elsewhere across its range . there is also evidence of a slight downward trend in population size in the south east trawl fishery observer program off southern australia ( t . walker pers . comm . 2003 ) . catches of the species needs to be closely monitored in the future , given the intensity of trawling effort in its area of occurrence .
animals were left to acclimatise to captivity for 7‒12 days prior to experimentation . once placed in tanks , all females were treated identically and were first fed between 24 and 48 h after capture . they were fed 5 % of bm twice per week with a diet of two - thirds commercially available australian sardines ( sardinops neopilchardus ) and one - third prawns ( species unknown ) . all females were fed at the same time and uneaten food was removed from the tank after 3 h .
the painted swellshark ( cephaloscyllium pictum ) is a little - known species of catshark , belonging to the family scyliorhinidae , found in eastern indonesia . this species reaches a maximum known length of 72 cm ( 28 in ) , and has a thick body with a short , broad and flattened head . it is dark gray with a variegated pattern of irregular darker and lighter blotches above , and lighter below with gray blotches and speckling on the snout . like other swellsharks , it can inflate itself as a defensive measure .
common names : swellshark ( english ) , pejegato ( espanol ) , tiburón ( espanol ) cephaloscyllium ventriosum ( garman , 1880 ) swellshark a relatively large , stocky member of the catshark family ; snout broadly rounded when viewed from below , extremely short ; eyes oval , with ridge above each ; stomach inflatable with water ( or air ) ; no lip furrows ; no barbells ; front nasal flaps broadly lobate or triangular , overlapping mouth posteriorly ; teeth at front of jaws with dagger - like central point and 1 - 2 small points on each side ; two dorsal fins : first much larger , with origin over pelvic fins , second dorsal fin considerably smaller than first , its origin over origin of anal fin . yellow brown with variegated pattern of dark brown blotches , saddles , and spots on body and fins ; underside of head and abdomen spotted . size : grows to at least 110 cm . habitat : a sluggish bottom - dwelling shark found most often on algal covered rocky reefs . depth : occurs from 0 - 460 m . central california to the lower 2 / 3 of the gulf of california to central mexico ; and southern ecuador to chile .
most sharks , rays and chimaeras ( chondrichthyans ) taken in commercial fisheries are discarded ( i . e . returned to the ocean either dead or alive ) . quantifying the post - capture survival ( pcs ) of discarded species is therefore essential for the improved management and conservation of this group . for all chondrichthyans taken in the main shark fishery of australia , we quantified the immediate pcs of individuals reaching the deck of commercial shark gillnet fishing vessels and applied a risk - based method to semi - quantitatively determine delayed and total pcs . estimates of immediate , delayed and total pcs were consistent , being very high for the most commonly discarded species ( port jackson shark , australian swellshark , and spikey dogfish ) and low for the most important commercial species ( gummy and school sharks ) . increasing gillnet soak time or water temperature significantly decreased pcs . chondrichthyans with bottom - dwelling habits had the highest pcs whereas those with pelagic habits had the lowest pcs . the risk - based approach can be easily implemented as a standard practice of on - board observing programs , providing a convenient first - step assessment of the pcs of all species taken in commercial fisheries .
the cook’s swellshark ( cephaloscyllium cooki ) is a little - known species of catshark , belonging to the family scyliorhinidae . this shark is found in the arafura sea at a depth of 223–300 m ( 732–984 ft ) . it is a stocky - bodied shark with a short , broad head and a large mouth , and can be identified by the eight dark , pale - edged saddles along its grayish brown body and tail . the maximum known length of this species is 30 cm ( 12 in ) . like other swellsharks , it can inflate itself with water or air when threatened .
the flagtail swellshark ( cephaloscyllium signourum ) is a poorly known deepwater western pacific benthic catshark , recorded with certainty only from isolated locations off northeast queensland , australia . it may also occur around new caledonia , vanuatu , and fiji . this small species ( to at least 74 cm total length ) is known to occur on the continental slope at depths of 480–700 m , but its depth range could be larger than this . nothing is known of its biology . presently , there is low fishing effort in its area of occurrence . distribution and status needs to be better defined , and given the lack of available information ( and specimens ) , an assessment of data deficient is appropriate .
quantifying the pcs of chondrichthyans is associated with considerable logistical challenges . nonetheless , a number of studies have addressed this topic using a range of approaches : tag recapture experiments ( e . g . [ 38 ] ) , onboard or water cages [ 8 ] , [ 45 ] , [ 46 ] , replication of fisheries capture in controlled settings [ 36 ] , [ 47 ] , and acoustic or satellite tracking of captured and released individuals ( e . g . [ 48 ] – [ 50 ] ) . in addition , there have been various attempts to predict pcs based on physiological indicators of stress ( e . g . [ 18 ] , [ 37 ] , [ 42 ] ) . the risk assessment approach is not intended to replace these more rigorous methods . though these methods provide great insight into a species ability to cope with capture stress , they are very time consuming and expensive , limiting the possibility of conducting a broad assessment of the pcs of all discarded species , particularly when research resources are very limited . these methods can be used to validate the estimates obtained from a risk assessment approach . for example , stress physiology experiments [ 27 ] , [ 28 ] , [ 35 ] , [ 36 ] and the risk assessment approach produced similar pcs estimates for vulnerable ( gummy shark ) and robust ( port jackson shark and australian swellshark ) species , providing promising support of the fieldwork risk assessment approach . however , activity and condition indices vary with species [ 51 ] so further refinement and tuning of the indices used is required .
a stout - bodied species reaching 72 cm ( 28 in ) in length , the painted swellshark has a short , broad , strongly flattened head with a blunt snout . the slit - like eyes are placed high on the head and are followed by tiny spiracles . the nostrils are preceded by a laterally enlarged flaps of skin that do not reach the mouth , which is long and narrow without furrows at the corners . there are 58–78 upper tooth rows and 59–77 lower tooth rows . each tooth has 3–5 cusps , with the central cusp the longest ; the teeth of adult males are longer than those of females . the upper teeth are exposed when the mouth is closed . the fourth and fifth pairs of gill slits lie over the pectoral fin bases and are shorter than the first three .
a small species growing to 30 cm ( 12 in ) long , the cook ' s swellshark has a stocky body and a short , broad head . the snout is flattened and rounded , with the nostrils preceded by laterally enlarged flaps of skin that do not reach the mouth . the slit - like eyes are positioned high on the head and followed by tiny spiracles . the long , narrow mouth lacks furrows at the corners and contains 50–61 tooth rows in the upper jaw and 49–62 tooth rows in the lower jaw ; each tooth has a long central cusp and a pair of smaller lateral cusps . the upper teeth are exposed when the mouth is closed . the fourth and fifth pairs of gill slits lie over the pectoral fin bases and are shorter than the first three . [ 2 ]
in the present study , we present a risk - based approach for investigating the pcs of chondrichthyans taken in a gillnet fishery . this approach was trialled as part of a scientific survey designed as a standard onboard observing program in the commercial shark gillnet fishery sector of the southern and eastern scalefish and shark fishery ( sessf ) of south - eastern australia [ 7 ] . this is the most important australian shark fishery in terms of landings [ 11 ] where gummy shark ( mustelus antarcticus ) is the main target species but > 30 other species of sharks , rays and chimaeras are taken and either retained or discarded [ 6 ] . our objectives were to develop a method for the rapid assessment of the pcs of all chondrichthyan species taken in a gillnet fishery , and , for the most abundant species , test the effects of sex , water temperature , depth , net soak time , and body size on pcs .
to quantify the g : l ratio , blood - smear slides were prepared from each sample obtained from females and from each neonate . blood - smears were first air - dried in sealed containers for 2–8 h before fixing in methanol for 10 min . fixed slides were stained with may - grünwald ( solution diluted 1 : 1 with water ; australian biostain , traralgon , victoria , australia ) and giemsa ( solution diluted 1 : 9 with water ; australian biostain ) for 15 min each before rinsing three times in distilled water , followed by standing in fresh distilled water for 5 min . slides were examined using compound microscopes at ×400 magnification and leukocyte counts were made using the technique described by van rijn and reina 8 . a minimum of 250 granulocytes ( neutrophils , heterophils , eosinophils and basophils ) and lymphocytes were identified per slide . counting ceased once all cells had been identified in the final field of view . the identification of leukocytes ( fig . 3 ) was based on the descriptions found in van rijn and reina 8 , claver and quaglia 79 , clauss 80 and tripathi et al . 81 . the accuracy of leukocyte profiling and the g : l ratio was tested by randomly resampling a subset of eight slides ( with their identity concealed ) and comparing their individual g : l ratio recount to their original counts . to test for any learning effect when identifying cells , the counts from the first seven slides counted on day 0 were compared against the last seven slides counted on day 0 . a potential learning effect and the accuracy of leukocyte counts were both determined using a log - transformed paired t - test . results indicate that there was no significant learning effect ( t 10 . 835 = 0 . 233 , p = 0 . 820 ) and that differential counts were consistently accurate ( t 7 = −0 . 8008 , p = 0 . 450 ) .
the pectoral fins are small with narrowly rounded tips and nearly straight trailing margins . the first dorsal fin has a narrowed rounded apex and originates over the middle of the pelvic fin bases . the almost triangular second dorsal fin is much smaller and lower than both the first dorsal and the anal fins , originating behind the anal fin origin . the pelvic fins are small , with short and elongated claspers in males . the caudal fin has a distinct lower lobe and a strong ventral notch near the tip of the upper lobe . the dermal denticles are widely spaced , highly variable in size , and have 1–3 ridges and cusps . this shark is a dark gray above , with faint blackish saddles mostly broken up into irregular blotches , and a smattering of lighter spots . there are also blackish bars below the eyes , over the gills and pelvic fins , and on the upper caudal fin lobe before the ventral notch . the underside is pale with many gray blotches , and black and white speckling on the snout ; the demarcation between the dorsal and ventral coloration is irregular but abrupt . juveniles are unknown , though both australian variegated swellsharks have very differently colored young .
determining the effect of trawling on sex steroid concentrations is difficult because sex steroid concentrations in wild t . dumerilii are unknown . however , when comparing our results with those of the australian sharpnose shark , rhizoprionodon taylori , a species sharing a similar reproductive strategy of embryonic diapause 23 , sex steroid concentrations in t . dumerilii were markedly lower . by day 28 , concentrations of e 2 , t and p 4 were respectively lower compared to r . taylori by approximate magnitudes of 16 , 28 and 7 times , potentially indicating the suppression of sex steroid synthesis due to chronic stress 30 . however , the effects of chronic stress are likely a result of captivity given the same response was evident in the control group . interestingly , transient increases in sex - steroids resulting from the relatively mild but repeated stress of handling ( day 0–day 7 ) may have caused premature ovulation in pregnant t . dumerilii 49 , 50 . however , this could be coincidental because increases in sex steroids associated with ovulation during late - gestation also occur in r . taylori 23 . because sex steroid concentrations can vary depending on reproductive modes and species 20 , documenting species - specific cycles in sex steroid concentrations of wild - caught females are necessary in future studies to better understand the effects of captivity and experimental conditions when assessing the potential implications of fisheries capture .
differential leukocyte counts were taken of blood smears collected from laboratory stressed adult australian swellsharks cephaloscyllium laticeps . we calculated the granulocyte ( combined count of heterophils and neutrophils ) to lymphocyte ( g / l ) ratio to use as a new physiological indicator of stress for sharks . animals were captured and stressed using commercial fishing gear ( monofilament gillnet and mid - water longline ) in a laboratory setting , with blood samples collected prior to capture and at predetermined intervals during a subsequent 72 h recovery period . there was a significant increase in the g / l ratio of 291 . 14 ± 54 . 13 % at 72 h post - capture during recovery from the 6 - h gillnet capture plus 15 - mintue air exposure . six hours of longline capture plus 15 min of air exposure also evoked a significant increase in the g / l ratio of 490 . 32 ± 294 . 25 % ( 24 h post - capture ) and 590 . 53 ± 277 . 65 % ( 72 h post - capture ) . there was no significant change in the g / l ratio for control sharks that did not undergo capture stress but that experienced an identical blood - sampling regime as captured animals . our study presents findings of stress - induced changes in leukocyte distribution within the peripheral blood of a shark species brought on by lymphopenia ( decrease in lymphocytes ) and granulocytosis ( increase in granulocytes ) , and confirms this as a useful measure of the relatively rapid onset of stress in these animals .
differential leukocyte counts were taken of blood smears collected from laboratory stressed adult australian swellsharks cephaloscyllium laticeps . we calculated the granulocyte ( combined count of heterophils and neutrophils ) to lymphocyte ( g / l ) ratio to use as a new physiological indicator of stress for sharks . animals were captured and stressed using commercial fishing gear ( monofilament gillnet and mid - water longline ) in a laboratory setting , with blood samples collected prior to capture and at predetermined intervals during a subsequent 72 h recovery period . there was a significant increase in the g / l ratio of 291 . 14 + / - 54 . 13 % at 72 h post - capture during recovery from the 6 - h gillnet capture plus 15 - mintue air exposure . six hours of longline capture plus 15 min of air exposure also evoked a significant increase in the g / l ratio of 490 . 32 + / - 294 . 25 % ( 24 h post - capture ) and 590 . 53 + / - 277 . 65 % ( 72 h post - capture ) . there was no significant change in the g / l ratio for control sharks that did not undergo capture stress but that experienced an identical blood - sampling regime as captured animals . our study presents findings of stress - induced changes in leukocyte distribution within the peripheral blood of a shark species brought on by lymphopenia ( decrease in lymphocytes ) and granulocytosis ( increase in granulocytes ) , and confirms this as a useful measure of the relatively rapid onset of stress in these animals .
data were collected by onboard observers participating in a fishing survey of the population abundance and size composition of species caught in the sessf during 2007 and 2008 [ 7 ] . the survey was designed to represent fishing practices commonly used in the sessf . data were collected on board five commercial shark fishing vessels ( 15 . 3–21 m long ) using a fleet of demersal monofilament gillnets of five mesh sizes ( 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , and 8 inches ) at 168 sites from eastern bass strait to the head of the great australian bight ( fig . 1 ) . each net was 500 m long and 2 . 4 m high , and had a standard hanging coefficient ( 0 . 6 ) and colour ( green ) . following standard commercial - fishing and onboard - observing practices , sampling was carried out over a variety of habitat types ( rocky reefs , bare sand , gravel , mud ) , times of day ( 2 . 00 am–11 . 30 pm ) , bottom ( 12 . 3–18 . 7°c ) and surface ( 10 . 0–21 . 0°c ) temperatures and depths ( 9–230 m ) , with net soak times ranging 2 . 4–20 . 6 hours . sharks of different species in the sampling area tend to use waters with different characteristics ( e . g . [ 6 ] ) . our analysis is therefore representative of the pcs of the different chondrichthyan species taken in the fishery . during net hauling , observers recorded the species , sex , and body size ( total length for sharks and chimaeras and disc width for rays ) of every chondrichthyan captured . in addition , observers collected information used for estimating pcs .
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eschmeyer , w . n . , fricke , r . and van der laan , r . ( eds ) . 2016 . catalog of fishes : genera , species , references . updated 2 may 2016 . available at : urltoken . ( accessed : 2 may 2016 ) .
is an abundant species endemic to shallow water ( to at least 60 m ) in southeastern australia . although large numbers of the species are caught by demersal trawl and bottom - set gillnets , much of the catch is discarded alive and fishing mortality is low because the species is extremely resilient to capture by fishing gear and to handling out of water . both fishery - dependent monitoring and fishery - independent surveys indicate no decline in abundance over the period 1973‒2008 . hence ,
the species is assessed as least concern and the population is expected to increase in response to recent management initiatives .
the species reaches at least 100 cm total length ( tl ) ( possibly 150 cm tl ) with females maturing at about 82 cm tl and males at 76 cm tl ( awruch et al . 2008 ) . this species is oviparous with females laying eggs throughout the year ; in captivity females laid a pair of eggs each month with hatching occurring after 12 months at 16–18 cm tl ( awruch et al . 2009 ) .
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the draughtboard shark is a stocky species that has a short broad head and widely spaced denticles . the species is endemic to australia occuring in depths to at least 650 m , but is sometimes seen by divers in relatively shallow depths .
the draughtboard shark is a stocky species that has a short broad head and widely spaced denticles . there are two dorsal fins . the second dorsal fin which is located close to the caudal fin , is smaller than the first .
the species is grey to brownish above and pale below . the sides of the body are mottled with irregular dark blotches and a few pale flecks . there is usually a dark area below both eyes and a dark stripe along the midline of the belly .
the species is endemic to australia , occurring from the central coast of new south wales , around the temperate south of the country , including tasmania , to south - eastern western australia .
it is a benthic species that occurs most commonly in continental shelf and continental slope waters down to at least 650 m , but is sometimes seen by divers in relatively shallow waters .
when disturbed , the draughtboard shark can increase its body size by inflating its stomach with air or water .
females lay distinctive flask - shaped egg cases that have 19 to 27 strong transverse ridges . the egg cases are laid on the bottom where the tendrils attach to bottom - dwelling invertebrates and seaweed .
stevens , j . d . in gomon , m . f . , glover , c . j . m . & r . h . kuiter ( eds ) . 1994 . the fishes of australia ' s south coast . state print , adelaide . pp . 992 .
hutchins , b . & r . swainston . 1986 . sea fishes of southern australia . complete field guide for anglers and divers . swainston publishing . pp . 180 .
kuiter , r . h . 2000 . coastal fishes of south - eastern australia . gary allen . pp . 437 .
last , p . r . & j . d . stevens . 1994 . sharks and rays of australia . csiro . pp . 513 .
western pacific : australia ( south australia , tasmania , victoria , new south wales ) .
from close inshore down to 220 m . can expand itself with air or water .
fowler , h . w . , 1941 . the fishes of the groups elasmobranchii , holocephali , isospondyli , and ostariophysi obtained by us bureau of fishing steamer albatross . bull . u . s . natl . mus . , 100 ( 13 ) : 879 p .
springer , s . , 1979 . a revision of the catsharks , family scyliorhinidae . noaa tech . rep . nmfs circ . , ( 422 ) : 97 p .
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101 cm tl ( male / unsexed ; ( ref . 76947 ) ) ; 102 . 5 cm tl ( female )
a large species with the following characters : head 8 . 6 - 13 . 5 % tl in height , trunk 16 . 1 - 23 . 8 % tl in width ; origin of first dorsal - fin usually forward of mid pelvic - fin base ; prenarial 4 . 5 - 5 . 1 % tl in length ; length of preorbital snout 1 . 4 - 1 . 7 times prenarial length , 2 . 5 - 3 . 1 in prepectoral length , 6 . 3 - 6 . 9 in pre - pelvic length ; snout - vent long , its length 48 . 1 - 52 . 4 % tl ; width of nostril 2 . 4 - 2 . 7 % tl ; eye - spiracle space wide , 1 . 01 . 4 % tl ; pectoral fin large , its height 12 . 6 - 13 . 6 % tl , posterior margin 12 . 0 - 13 . 6 % tl in length ; anal fin tall , height 3 . 84 . 4 % tl ; anal - caudal space 4 . 0 - 5 . 6 % sl ; precaudal length 74 - 78 % tl ; interdorsal space 6 . 3 - 7 . 6 % tl ; teeth with 3 - 5 cusps near symphysis of upper jaw ; mainly weak tricuspidate flank denticles ; back without greatly enlarged denticles ; long adult clasper , up to 8 . 8 % tl , almost reaching anal fin , interspace about 4 . 4 in anal - fin base ; vertebral centra 121 - 126 ; tooth count high , each jaw with 90 - 116 teeth ; strong pattern of saddles and blotches on upper half of body ; dark , transverse dorsal markings ( 9 - 10 ) on body and tail , interspaces between are narrow ; interspiracular saddle subequal to eye and spiracle length ; over and above gill slits with large circular blotch ; fins with variably developed , narrow pale margins ( ref . 76947 ) .
. 2008 ) . it grows to 110 cm total length ( tl ) ( last and stevens 2009 ) . although last and stevens ( 2009 ) reports that males mature by 70 cm tl , last
. ( 2008 ) states that the smallest adult male examined was ~ 89 . 5 cm tl and the largest immature male was 76 cm tl . females mature by 98 cm tl ( last and stevens 2009 ) . this species is oviparous . like other members of the genus , it is capable of swelling enormously by swallowing water or air . very little is known of its biology .


the african fish eagle ( haliaeetus vocifer ) , or to distinguish it from the true fish eagles ( ichthyophaga ) , the african sea eagle , is a large species of eagle found throughout sub-saharan africa wherever large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply occur .

it is the national bird of zimbabwe , zambia , and south sudan .

as a result of its large range , it is known in many languages .

examples of names include : visarend in afrikaans , nkwazi in chewa , aigle pêcheur in french , hungwe in shona , and inkwazi in isizulu .

african fish eagle

there are no known conservation measures in place for the african fish - eagle .
. the african fish eagle is absent from arid areas with little surface water .
the average lifespan of the african fish eagle is 15 years in the wild .
eltringham , s . 1975 . territory size and distribution in the african fish eagle .
sumba , s . 1988 . nestling growth in the african fish eagle in uganda .
african fish - eagle , caprivi strip , namibia . [ photo stephen davis © ]
the african fish eagle is a fairly large eagle . it has a distinctive black , brown , and white plumage .
art of the wild by roger brown . : cry of the african fish eagle
the african fish - eagle occurs throughout much of sub - saharan africa ( 2 ) .
the body length of the african fish eagle is around 63–75 cm ( 25–30 in ) .
bonelli ' s eagle and the african hawk - eagle have been moved from hieraaetus to aquila .
african fish - eagle , strandfontein sewage works , south africa . [ photo trevor hardaker © ]
african fish eagle as its name implies , the white - tailed eagle ( haliaeetus albicilla ) has a white tail , but lacks the distinctive white head of the african fish eagle . weighing in at 7 - 14 lbs . the white - tailed is heavier than the african fish eagle and , in both species , females are larger than the males . the white - tailed eagle inhabits europe and asia , but rarely africa . like the african fish eagle , it includes large areas of water in its territory the white - tailed eagle shares the scaly , fish - grabbing talons and the dietary habits of the african fish eagle , subsisting mainly on freshly caught fish . white - tailed eagle
conservation the conservation of the african fish eagle is not greatly important . this is because its conservation status is of ' least concern ' . this means that the population of african fish eagle are high .
sumba , s . 1988 . nestling growth in the african fish eagle in uganda . african journal of ecology , 26 : 315 - 321 .
brown , l . 1980 . the african fish eagle . great britain : bailey bros . and swinfen .
protecting the continent’s lakes from pollution and overfishing are two important steps to help conserve the african fish eagle .
just like the osprey , the african fish eagle has barbs on its feet to help it hold on to slippery fish , its main prey .
the african fish eagle is widespread throughout southern africa and is particularly common in and around the rift valley lakes .
african fish - eagle nest , levuvhu river , kruger park , south africa . [ photo warwick tarboton © ]
like other sea eagles , the african fish eagle has structures on its toes called spiricules that allows it to grasp fish and other slippery prey . the
) have been known to prey upon the eggs of african fish eagles . african fish eagle parents will also guard against monkeys and baboons , but tend to not be concerned about nearby humans .
like other eagle species , african fish eagles will display or call when under threat from solicitors or intruders . african fish eagles perceive their environment through visual , auditory , tactile and chemical stimuli .
thanks april , glad you liked it , and that it also brought back some memories of your own , if you listen to the fish eagle on youtube make sure it is a african fish eagle and not the american fish eagle as they are quite different .
african fish eagles’ primary food source , as the name implies , is fish . an individual may consume half a pound of fish per day . common fish species preyed upon include tilapia (
current populations of the african fish eagle remain stable . very low levels of pesticides are now found in the food chain of the african fish eagle , but humans present the greatest threat to the eagle’s future . conservation of land and clean water is needed to maintain the population .
predators or prey ? the african fish eagle has prey such as fish , waterfowl , small turtles , baby crocodiles , greater and lesser flamingos , and carrion .
the african fish eagle has the honor of being the national bird of three nations : zambia , zimbabwe and south sudan .
though the african fish eagle is still common throughout its range , its food supply is being negatively affected by overfishing . pollution and contamination from nearby factories and even flower farms also can poison fish and other lake - dwelling creatures , leaving the african fish eagle with little choice for food .
like all birds of prey , the african fish eagle has excellent eyesight . it uses this sense of sight to spot fish and other prey from its treetop perch .
the home range of the fish eagle is 18 . 3 million square kilometers .
distribution : widespread in south africa , the african fish eagle is particularly common in and around some of the rift valley lakes .
fish , fish , and more fish . the african fish eagle is a true fisherman . just like the osprey , african fish eagles eat a wide variety of fish . however , unlike the osprey , they don’t submerge themselves completely under the water when fishing . instead , they catch their meals from the surface of the water , then fly up to a perch to feed .
the african fish eagle ( haliaeetus vocifer ) can be seen flying throughout the southern africa skies and is known by many different names .
african fish eagles build nests on large trees and the material they use are mostly sticks .
) or other fish eagles . african fish eagles may also hunt or scavenge terrestrial prey ; however when terrestrial hunting does occur , it is likely due to the eagle’s immaturity .
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the raptors are always hungry . african fish eagles are ever - present and one can usually find one or two eating a fish .
brown , l . 1960 . the african fish eagle haliaeetus vocifer especially in the kavirondo gulf . ibis , 102 : 285 - 297 .
the african fish eagle has a hooked beak which helps it to tear flesh from its prey and pull the strong muscles from its bones .
chaco eagle or crowned solitary eagle , buteogallus ( formerly harpyhaliaetus ) coronatus ― south america .
solitary eagle or montane solitary eagle , buteogallus ( formerly harpyhaliaetus ) solitarius ― south america .
…well - known african species is the african fish eagle ( h . vocifer ) , found along lakes , rivers , and coastlines from south of the sahara to the cape of good hope .
a fish eagle’s toes are coated in sharp barbs , called spiricules , which consequently help it to grasp fish and other slippery prey .
with its large powerful talons , it catches fish from the water and takes it to a perch to enjoy the meal . however at times the fish is too heavy to lift in that case the eagle just drags it along the water surface before it drops the fish on land . seldom does it happen that the fish slips out of african fish eagle’s talons .
african fish eagles are equally admired for their loud song that goes on from dawn to dusk .
eltringham , s . 1975 . territory size and distribution in the african fish eagle . journal of zoology london , 175 : 1 - 13 .
the design consists of an african fish eagle standing against a shield and spears . the eagle signifies strength , resilience and vision , with the shield and spears representing protection of the new state .
issyk kul , kyrgyzstan - may 29 , 2017 : golden eagle trainer holds his eagle during eagle hunter games in issuk kul lake , kyrgyzstan .
from the first look of it one can hardly distinguish whether it’s a bald eagle or the african fish eagle . both of these species have got too much to share—at least in their physical appearance .
the african fish eagle can be found in a number of locations including : africa . find out more about these places and what else lives there .
african fish eagles are a tertiary predator in their ecosystem , at the top of the food chain .
the lifespan of african fish eagles in the wild is expected to be between 16 and 24 years .
the call of an african fish eagle reminds us of the north american bald eagle’s call . they utter calls like weee - ah , hyo - hyo or a heee - ah , heeah - heeah .
this animal is listed as ‘least concern’ by the icun and there are 300 , 000 individuals . there are no conservation efforts for the african fish eagle .
as top carnivore , the african fish eagle is commonly a reference to the health of an aquatic ecosystem , since anything happening at lower levels of the food web will affect the fish eagle through biomagnification . ecologists , conservationists , and fish farmers can evaluate the strength of a fish eagle population to establish fish crop population , pollution in the waterways , and habitat alteration , since each of these factors will have a more dramatic effect on top carnivores .
whether lake , river or creek , water always abounds in the african fish eagle’s territory near lake victoria or the lakes of kenyan rift valley a pair of eagles may require less than 1 sq . mile of water to find enough food . if the pair inhabits an area next to a small river , however ; they may need 15 miles of water : the african fish eagle spends most of the day perched in a large tree that overlooks the water ; preferring fig and acacia trees . a soaring search an african fish eagle soars high above a lake that provides an abundance of fish . an african fish eagle in captivity lived 40 years , more than twice the average lifespan of one in the wild . the call of the african fish eagle is so widely heard that it is known as “the voice of africa . ”
the african fish eagle feeds mainly on fish , which it will swoop down upon from a perch in a tree , snatching the prey from the water with its large clawed talons . the eagle will then fly back to its perch to eat its catch .
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the african fish eagle is not a ‘true’ eagle but belongs to the haliaeetus genus of sea eagles , alongside seven other species worldwide that include the american bald eagle and the eurasian white - tailed eagle . this is one of the most ancient genera among all living birds . and it is a sight to behold .
, a winter visitor to africa , also has this adaptation . should the african fish eagle catch a fish over 1 . 8 kg ( 4 pounds ) it will be too heavy to allow the eagle to get lift , so it will instead drag the fish across the surface of the water until it reaches the shore . if it catches a fish that is too heavy to even allow the eagle to sustain flight , it will drop into the water and paddle to the nearest shore with its wings . the african fish eagle is known to peculate other bird species ( such as
ecologically , african fish eagle populations are negatively impacted by limited fish sources , land changes in terms of perching or nesting trees near waterways , and aquatic vegetation changes that alter fishing practices of the eagle . pesticides and other pollutants may also pose a threat to african fish eagles through biomagnification . eggshell - thinning due to a buildup of organochlorine pesticides ( from fish ) may begin to cause problems in some parts of its range .
hunting takes place from where the eagle is perched and rarely while it is soaring in the sky . stooping at fish , african fish eagle will catch their pray with their feet , usually within 15 cm of the water surface . they may also submerge at times .
adults are mainly distinguished by the combination of their dark brown and white plumage . unlike bald eagle in which the whitish part ends on its neck , the white down in african fish eagle continues almost touching its belly .
adept at fishing , the keen - eyed african fish eagle spots prey from high on its perch , then dives to “hook” its victim using dagger - sharp talons .
african fish eagles pair for life and they typically breed during the dry season when the water level goes down .
the african fish - eagle is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) and listed on appendix ii of cites ( 3 ) .
the following habitats are found across the african fish eagle distribution range . find out more about these environments , what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them .
either the greater spotted eagle and lesser spotted eagle should move from aquila to join the long - crested eagle in lophaetus , or , perhaps better , all three of these species should move to ictinaetus with the black eagle .
there have been instances of non - breeding pairs of african fish eagles , with no reasons attributed to this behavior .
the scientific name of the african fish - eagle is haliaeetus vocifer ; haliaeetus being from the greek words “hals” meaning “salt” or “the sea” and “aetos” meaning “eagle” , and vocifer from the latin “vocifero” meaning to “cry out aloud” . hence “the sea - eagle that cries out aloud” – perfect !
the stunning african fish eagle , with its milk - white head and tail , dark eyes , yellow cere , and chocolate brown back , has become synonymous with africa’s inland waters , lakes , rivers and dams . in fact , its loud , piercing calls are a characteristic sound around african waterways . if you hear the call of the african fish eagle , you are likely to be in a relatively healthy environment .
after awakening the continent with its song , the african fish eagle strikes quickly to land its daily meal , then retires to its perch to closely guard its territory from intruders .
african fish eagles occur in most parts of sub - saharan africa including saharan desert . the eagle’s range extends to namibia , south africa where it breeds along the orange river .
the scientific name of the african fish - eagle is haliaeetus vocifer ; “ haliaeetus” being from the greek words “hals” meaning “salt” or “the sea” and “aetos” meaning “eagle” , and vocifer from the latin “vocifero” meaning to “cry out aloud” . hence “the sea - eagle that cries out aloud” – perfect !
and true to the second part of its name , the african fish eagle is very fond of eating fish . as you would expect , the african fish eagle is generally found living next to bodies of water of almost any type and size . this beautiful bird of prey can be seen perched on trees or other prominent sites near ponds , estuaries , lakes , rivers , streams , coastal waters , and wetlands .
pinsker ' s hawk - eagle ( southern philippine hawk - eagle ) , nisaetus pinskeri - earlier s . philippensis pinskeri
true to the first part of its name , the african fish eagle is distributed far and wide throughout africa , the world’s second largest continent . this eagle is relatively common and widespread in a variety of habitats south of the sahara desert .
they are most likely to survive in freshwater reservoirs including rivers and lakes . african fish eagle’s habitats include swamps , tropical rainforests , marshes , grasslands , fynbos , and even deserts .
sea eagles or fish eagles take fish as a large part of their diets , either fresh or as carrion .
neotropical ( central and south america ) : spizaetus ( four species ) , solitary eagles ( two spp . ) , harpy eagle , crested eagle , black - chested buzzard - eagle
the african fish - eagle is associated with a diverse range of aquatic habitats from rivers , lakes and dams to swamps and mangrove lagoons ( 2 ) ( 4 ) ( 6 ) .
while wetland degradation and water pollution has affected the african fish - eagle in some areas , this species has benefited considerably from the construction of large dams , particularly in southern africa ( 2 ) ( 4 ) . given that its population appears to be stable and widely distributed , the african fish - eagle is not considered to be under any significant threat ( 8 ) .
the steppe eagle and tawny eagle , once thought to be conspecific , are not even each other ' s nearest relatives .
hollamby , s . , j . afema - azikuru , s . waigo , k . cameron , a . gandolf , j . sikarskie . 2006 . african fish eagle nest site characteristics within uganda . african journal of ecology , 44 : 109 - 112 .
the african fish eagle or as it is scientifically known , haliaeetus vocifer , can be seen throughout southern africa and is known by many varieties of names , in many languages . this includes the river eagle , aigle pecheur , pygargue vocifer , afrikaanse visarend and so on . this fairly large bird is related to the north american bald eagle and can be easily identified by the distinct black , brown body and white head and tail . the length of the african fish eagle varies between 63 and 75 cm .
diet : african fish - eagle feeds mainly on fish , but it also consumes carrion , eggs and chicks of shore birds , some aquatic birds ( larger than flamingos ) , more rarely monkeys , lizards , frogs , sea - turtles or insects .
in britain before 1678 , eagle referred specifically to the golden eagle , with the other native species , the white - tailed eagle , being known as erne . the modern name
golden eagle
for aquila chrysaetos was introduced by the naturalist john ray .
hollamby , s . , j . afema - azikuru , s . waigo , k . cameron , a . gandolf , j . sikarskie . 2006 . african fish eagle nest site characteristics within uganda .
habitat : african fish - eagle lives near large streams , lakes and marshes . it can be found near coastal lagoons and dams , and in estuaries . range : it is an african species . we can find it in south and east of sahara , and in madagascar .
the beautiful and distinct call of the african fish eagle is synonymous with the sound of africa and is very similar to the american bald eagle . there are two specific calls , the one is in flight and the other is when it is perched . when the male fish eagle nears the nest it makes a kind of mellow ‘quock’ sound where as the female has a more of a shriller sound .
african fish eagles prey upon many species such as catfish and cormorants that are other major predators of young or small fish . this in turn has a positive effect on the fishing industry for the region .
the african fish eagle is a generalist species , requiring only open water with sufficient prey and a good perch . this is evident by the number of habitat types that this species may be found in , including
introduction : african fish - eagles ( haliaeetus vocifer ) are usually associated with large water bodies including estuaries , but are known to hang around dry rivers until pools have dried up in search of the food . this could including hunting etosha national park ' s only fish , the sharptooth catfish ( clarias gariepinus ) . the african fish eagle is the official bird of namibia , appearing on the countries coat of arms .
the african fish - eagle is a proficient hunter , with live fish accounting for the bulk of its diet ( 2 ) . it typically hunts from a high perch on a waterside tree , where it can watch for fish moving close to the water’s surface . once prey is sighted , the african fish - eagle launches from its perch , swoops low over the water , and at the critical moment throws both feet forward to seize hold of its target with powerful talons . small fish are carried through the air into a tree , but larger catches are dragged through the water to the shoreline . despite only one in every seven or eight fishing attempts being successful , the african fish - eagle rarely spends more than ten minutes per day actively hunting ( 2 ) . aside from fish , this efficient raptor will also take the young of water birds such as the lesser flamingo , and very occasionally will go for monkeys , crocodile hatchlings , frogs and insects . except for the odd dead fish , fully mature african fish - eagles rarely feed on carrion unless food is particularly scarce ( 2 ) .
the african fish eagle is classified as a kleptoparasite . this means that it steals prey from other birds , for example goliath herons , which are known to lose a percentage of their catch to fish eagles . they may also raid colonies of nesting waterbirds for young and eggs .
eagle in flight . flying dark brawn bird of prey steppe eagle , aquila nipalensis , with large wingspan . wildlife scene from european nature .
diet the african fish eagle will usually feed on fish . if it catches a fish over 1 . 8 kg ( 4 pounds ) , it will be too heavy to fly off with , so it will drag the fish on the surface of the water , until it reaches the shore . it will also feed on waterfowl , small turtles , baby crocodiles , greater flamingos , lesser flamingos , and carrion .
the african fish eagle pairs up whether it is in or out of mating season , which goes from march to september . the pairs even go as far as sharing any kills that they make between the two of them . the african fish eagle is known as a kleptoparasite , which means that it will steal prey from another bird , like the goliath heron who loses a lot of its catch to fish eagles . they will also take advantage of nesting water birds for their eggs and young .
the african fish eagle is usually seen in pairs , whether it is inside or outside of their breeding season that stretches from march to september . they evenly share the kills made by either between the two of them .
i have a fish eagle as a pet and i let it fly and catch food for + - 3 hours . posted by : khadijah
while wetland degradation and water pollution has affected african fish - eagles in some areas , this species has benefited considerably from the construction of large dams , particularly in southern africa ( 2 ) ( 4 ) . given that its population appears to be stable and widely distributed , the african fish - eagle is not considered to be under any significant threat ( 9 ) .
over fishing is a big threat to this bird as well at the increasing size of the local human populations . large numbers of people move into the african fish eagle’s territory and fish their food supply dry . the birds then have no option than to leave to other areas to feed .
eagle owl landing on snowy tree stump in forest . flying eagle owl with open wings in habitat with trees . action winter scene from nature .
the world center for birds of prey offers fun ways to learn about raptors . interactive activities , tours , interesting videos and a children ' s room with games , coloring sheets , quizzes and costumes await you . the visitor center has one live sea eagle species on display , a bald eagle . this is a great chance to see this eagle up close and learn about the wonderful and interesting adaptations it has in order to survive – some of which are very similar to those of the african fish eagle . there is also a touch table with bird feathers and other natural objects available for exploration . come visit to learn more about all eagles , including the african fish eagle .
brown , l . 1970 . african birds of prey . boston : houghton mifflin .
, this one consists of a white - headed species ( the african fish eagle ) and a tan - headed one . these are an ancient lineage of sea eagles , and as such have dark talons , beaks , and eyes .
if all is well , the eggs then begin to hatch . you may be surprised to know that the african fish eagle has something in common with the snowy owl , a bird that lives all the way on the other side of the world . just like snowy owl eggs , african fish eagle eggs don’t all hatch at once . this means that the chicks will be of different ages and different sizes . however , the snowy owl usually manages to raise all of its young – no matter what age or size – but the african fish eagle young aren’t as lucky . the second chick that hatches , which is smaller than its older sibling , can’t compete for food , and it often dies .
protection / threats / status : populations are not threatened . however , african fish - eagle is vulnerable in namibia where it is found in small numbers . any decline in south africa , despite the high level of pollution by pesticides .
african fish eagles can be observed in pairs , perched on large waterside trees on the lookout for prey . roosts near water , in cliffs or in tall trees . a characteristic of the african fish - eagle is their aggressive territorial behaviour ( vocifer is latin for vociferous ) when 2 birds will catch each other by the feet and cartwheel down , only parting just before they hit the water .
the diet of african fish eagle is comprised mainly of fish , some of which are reintroduced or farmed for commercial fishing or fish farming . they have also been known to prey upon the catch of fishermen , ranging from less than . 4 % to as much as 1 % of the total catch . since many africans live in poverty , these losses can be detrimental to them .
the peregrine fund has been monitoring populations of african fish eagles at lake naivasha in kenya since 1994 . scientists have found that the number of eagles present is closely tied to the lake ' s water level and annual commercial fish catches .
habitat : the african fish eagle is usually seen in pairs inside and outside the breeding season , even sharing kills made by either of them . they spend more time perched than flying , and usually settle for the day by mid morning .
african fish eagles breed once yearly , with breeding seasons varying according to where the african fish eagles reside . along the equator , breeding can occur most months . in southern africa , april through october is the typical breeding season , where it is june through december for coastal eastern africa and october through april for western africa .
african fish eagles are also not above a little stealing when the occasion calls for it . when they see another fish - eating bird , such as the goliath heron , with a meal , they will fly over and harass the poor bird until it surrenders its catch . then the fish eagle swoops in and takes it . there are advantages to being the top predator in the neighborhood !
african fish eagles are monogamous and most often mate for life . breeding is seasonal , and both sexes participate in nest building , incubation , and rearing of chicks .
courtship displays in african fish eagles include aerial diving , swooping , and calling . in some instances , the pair will lock talons and perform a whirling dive together .
this species may resemble the bald eagle in appearance ; though related , each species occurs on different continents , with the bald eagle being resident in north america .
black - and - white hawk - eagle , s . melanoleucus - formerly spizastur
greater spotted eagle , a . clanga – to be moved to lophaetus or ictinaetus
lesser spotted eagle , a . pomarina – to be moved to lophaetus or ictinaetus
indian spotted eagle , a . hastata – to be moved to lophaetus or ictinaetus
flying big bird of prey white - tailed eagle above meadow with open wings .
golden eagle flying with tien shan mountains in the background near bishkek , kyrgyzstan .
butchart , s . , j . ekstrom , m . harding . 2009 .
birdlife international ( 2009 ) species factsheet
( on - line ) . african fish - eagle ( haliaeetus vocifer ) . accessed july 27 , 2009 at urltoken .
flight : when soaring or gliding in the air , african fish - eagle has held flat or slightly raised wings . very agile , it performs aerial displays in order to catch its preys . it has very broad wings in flight , slightly behind .
1 predatory perch sitting atop a tall tree , the african fish eagle has a perfect view of the lake in its square - mile territory . 2 target in sight swooping at 20 mph , the eagle glides with its feet extended and talons ready to strike at a nile perch . 3 heavy load it drags the perch , which is too heavy to be carried while flying , along the surface . the eagle gathers speed and… 4 well - earned meal …lifts its meal onto the bank . the eagle uses its beak to pull the scales off the perch before enjoying its feast . ► growing up the fish eagle’s plumage goes through four stages before adulthood .
the bird earns its name because of the fact that fish makes much of its diet . it relies on fish more than on any other prey item .
during times of extreme food concentration or food scarcity , the density of african fish eagles can reach high numbers . juveniles have been observed in groups of 30 around fisheries .
african fish eagles are kleptoparasites , which is to say they habitually steal prey from other species . common victims of this piratical behaviour include goliath herons and saddle - billed stork .
in a few years , these young birds will find a territory and a mate and begin raising young on their own . scientists believe that african fish eagles mate for life .
nothing reminds me better of the waterways of africa than the cry of a african fish eagle , its one of my favorite sounds and has always been associated with some of the holiday trips that i enjoyed in the okavango delta with the rest of my family .
the main diet of the fish eagle is fish that they catch and occasionally when it is dead . they can catch a fish that weighs up to 1 kg in weight and now and again up to 3 kg’s . if the fish weighs more then two and a half kilograms the eagle will not carry it in flight but will plane it along the waters surface to shore . fish eagles mainly catch lungfish and catfish and in some places will feed off flamingos and other water birds if the occasion presents itself . it has been known to eat dead animals and on very rare occasions they will even feed off monkeys , insects , frogs , dassies and so on . the hunt begins when the eagle leaves its perch to stoop and catch its prey with its feet about 15 cm from the waters surface . it’s not often that the african fish eagle will catch prey in the sky or submerge itself in the water .
flying eurasian eagle owl with open wings in forest habitat , wide angle lens photo .
the african fish eagle ( haliaeetus vocifer ) truly lives up to its name as it skillfully seizes the fish from the water surface and drags it to the land where it tears it apart . the eagle typically breeds all along the sub - saharan africa . they fancy living in areas that provide large water bodies such as lakes . it is the also the national bird of several countries including zambia , zimbabwe , and south sudan .
the sound of the african fish eagle has become synonymous with the sound of africa . it has two distinct calls - in flight or perched , the sound is something like the american bald eagle . when near the nest , its call is more of a ' quock ' sound - the female is a little shriller and less mellow than the male .
african fish eagles are found primarily along bodies of water throughout sub - saharan africa ; these include rivers , lakes , floodplains , coasts , estuaries , mangrove lagoons , and swamps . african fish eagles also frequent stocked dams and alkaline lakes . individuals have been observed at elevations up to 4000 m . however , they usually remain under an elevation of 1500 m .
a it’s mine fiercely protective of its kills , the fish eagle will attack any potential thief , including a marabou stork . awakening before dawn , the eagle begins its serenade , a song well known across africa . ^ r about 40 minutes before sunrise , the air throughout the sub - sahara fills with the chorus of singing pairs . the calls serve as a territorial signal . the “tune” may be produced in flight while the eagle searches for potential prey . when perched and singing , the eagle theatrically throws its head back and belts out its song , which bears some resemblance to the call of the american bald eagle . the african fish eagle sings this loud , cheerful song throughout the day , often in female - initiated duets . a pair will normally remain together after the breeding season . ► powerful pose perched high in a tree , the eagle towers above its territory .
vector heraldic eagle or hawk isolated icons . imperial predatory falcon symbol with open spread wings and sharp clutches . eagle or griffin heraldry sign for team mascot , military , security badge
african fish eagles communicate vocally with members of the same species or other avian competitors to establish and maintain territories . when calling , whether perched or in flight , they throw the head back and give loud , far - carrying , distinctive calls that sound like “weeah kyow - kow - kow . ” male african fish eagles tend to have higher pitched calls than females .
specialises in hunting fish , gracefully swooping down to the water surface to grab a fish with its talons ; it may even catch fish straight from the waves of the sea ! fish that weigh under about 2 kg are lifted out of the water and carried to a perch to be eaten , but if the fish is larger than 3 kg , the fish - eagle drags to the shore using its wings as paddles . it also hunts other animals living on or near the water , such as waterbirds , reptiles and small mammals . the following food items have been recorded in its diet :
this article is about the bird . for other uses , see eagle ( disambiguation ) .
flores hawk - eagle n . floris - earlier a subspecies , s . c . floris
legge ' s hawk - eagle , nisaetus kelaarti - previously a race of s . nipalensis
cassin ' s hawk - eagle , a . africana – formerly in hieraaetus or spizaetus genera
typical foraging by african fish eagles involves soaring followed by diving to the water’s surface to catch fish with their talons . it often requires several attempts before a successful catch occurs , with only one in 7 to 8 attempts ending in success . only fish up to 2 kg can be easily lifted away ; anything larger is usually dragged to land and then consumed .
african fish eagles are familar birds of prey on the waterways of sub - saharan africa , noted for their distinctive and haunting call . these eagles perch on branches overlooking the water , swooping down to catch fish which are then carried back to the perch or dragged to shore if too big to carry . african fish eagles also eat birds , monkeys and even crocodile hatchlings . these efficient predators can get away with spending as little as 10 minutes a day actively hunting .
this fish - eagle is associated with a diverse range of aquatic habitats from rivers , lakes and dams to swamps and mangrove lagoons ( 2 ) ( 4 ) ( 6 ) .
eagle bird icon . vector heraldic emblem of powerful wild falcon with stretching clutches . symbol of eagle hawk predator for sport team mascot shield , company badge , guard service , hunting club label
ariadne is a renowned african wildlife photographer whose work is featured in many well - known guidebooks and magazines .
butchart , s . , j . ekstrom , m . harding . 2009 .
birdlife international ( 2009 ) species factsheet
( on - line ) . african fish - eagle ( haliaeetus vocifer ) . accessed july 27 , 2009 at urltoken ; = 3361 & m ; = 0 .
with its distinctive plumage and evocative cry , the african fish - eagle ( haliaeetus vocifer ) is probably the most familiar bird of prey in africa ( 2 ) ( 4 ) . perched majestically on a high branch , the contrast between the white upper - body and tail , the chestnut belly and the black wings is unmistakeable ( 2 ) ( 5 ) ( 6 ) . much less striking is the almost scruffy appearance of the immature african fish - eagle , with its generally dark - brown plumage and white mottling ( 2 ) ( 6 ) . although after the first year the plumage begins to resemble that of the adult , it will take at least four to five years and numerous moults to reach full maturity ( 2 ) ( 7 ) . the clear , ringing call of the african fish - eagle , weee - ah hyo - hyo - hyo , made with the head thrown back , has to be the most characteristic and evocative sound of african watersides ( 2 ) .
bald eagle , haliaeetus leucocephalus , flying brown bird of prey with white head , yellow bill , symbol of freedom of the united states of america . bald eagle in flight with open wings .
the african fish eagle is a large bird , and the female , at 3 . 2 - 3 . 6 kg ( 7 - 8 lbs ) is larger than the male , at 2 - 2 . 5 kg ( 4 . 4 - 5 . 5 lbs ) . this is typical of
the african fish eagle does not need a big area to feed off . near a lake with an abundant food supply , a pair may require less than a square mile of water to find enough food , whereas next to a small river , they may require a stretch of 25 km or more .
the african fish eagle has two distinct calls . in flight or perched , the sound is something like the american bald eagle . when near the nest its call is more of a ' quock ' sound - the female is a little shriller and less mellow than the male . so well known and clear is the call of this bird that it is often known as ' the voice of africa ' . the african fish eagle is usually seen in pairs inside and outside the breeding season , even sharing kills made by either of them . they spend more time perched than flying , and usually settle for the day by 10am , having made their kill , although they will kill at any time of the day .
the african fish eagles are aggressive birds and will attack each other if they stray into others territory . it has adapted to have feathered legs in order to protect them from the sharp beak of its opponents .
in 1915 the area became the mandated territory under south african rule , known as south west africa . at first the british royal arms were used , followed in 1919 by the south african arms . the area followed the changes in the south african arms ( see under south africa ) until 1960 when the territory finally received its own arms .
behaviour the african fish eagle has two distinct calls . in flight or perched , the sound is something like the american bald eagle . when near the nest its call is more of a ' quock ' sound - the female is a little shriller and less mellow than the male . so well known and clear is the call of this bird that it is often known as ' the voice of africa ' . the african fish eagle is usually seen in pairs inside and outside the breeding season , even sharing kills made by either of them . they spend more time perched than flying , and usually settle for the day by 10am , having made their kill , although they will kill at any time of the day .
our biologists are studying these two populations of african fish eagles to better understand what factors affect breeding success and to learn how to work with local communities and governments to help preserve this very special bird of prey .
they spend more time perched than flying , usually sitting high in a tall tree from where they have a good view of the stretch of river , lakeshore or coastline . the african fish eagle usually settle for the day by 10am , having made their kill , although they will kill at any time of the day .
usually two eggs are laid , but clutch sizes ranging from one to four eggs have been observed . if there is more than one egg per clutch , they are usually laid 2 - 3 days apart , and usually only 1 chick survives as a result of siblicide . young hatch between 42 and 45 days , and fledge between 64 and 75 days . african fish eagles are usually independent from their parents after 6 to 8 weeks post - fledging . it has been said that only 5 % of african fish eagle young reach adulthood .
adult african fish eagles are large , readily recognizable raptors , with their pure white head , neck , chest , and tail , dark chestnut brown body , and black primaries and secondaries . they have broad , rather long wings ( wingspan from 175 to 210 cm ) , and a fairly short , rounded tail . the face is largely bare and yellow , as is the cere ; the eyes are dark , and the feet are yellow . the mass of an adult african fish eagle ranges from 2 . 1 to 3 . 6 kg and the length can range from 63 to 77 cm . females are larger and bulkier ( about 10 to 15 % ) than males , and african fish eagles tend to be slightly larger in the southern parts of africa .
bald eagle arriving at the nest , with open wings . british columbia , canada . baby chick sleeping .
the fish eagle hunts its prey from perches overlooking the water if it is lucky , it will catch two live fish in about 10 minutes and be done hunting for the day its favorites are catfish and lungfish , and it will occasionally snatch these from herons , pelicans and storks . young flamingos , ducks , storks and herons are targets , as are lizards and turtles . the fish eagle plucks feathers from birds and scales fish before eating the animals . after food is ingested , it can be stored in a fleshy pouch in the neck called a crop ; this pouch will hold over 2 lbs . of food . it allows the eagle to gorge itself when large amounts of food are available , then regurgitate it for later consumption .
the breeding season of the african fish eagle is in the dry season , when the water level is low . they are monogamous , meaning they mate for life , and make 2 or more nests which they frequently re - use . they can measure 2m ( 6 feet ) across and 1 . 2m ( 4 feet ) deep .
more recently , peregrine fund biologists have expanded their work to include another area known as lake baringo , about 60 miles north of naivasha . here , populations of african fish eagles have dropped significantly and breeding rates have been low .
the african fish - eagle features on the coat - of - arms of namibia and is also the national bird of both zimbabwe and zambia . they are found , usually in pairs , on most of the larger rivers , lakes , pans and dams of africa , south of the sahara , and also in many coastal lagoons and estuaries .
se encuentran disponibles 2 , 122 eagle wings open fotos , vectores . e ilustraciones en stock libres de regalías .
, vol . 7 , reviews : methods and technologies in fish biology and fisheries . netherlands : springer .
mike is an award winning wildlife writer , editor of travel zambia magazine and author of the bradt guide to southern african wildlife .
, made with the head thrown back , has to be the most characteristic and evocative sound of african watersides ( 2 ) .
- the young chicks often partake in siblicide . this is where the first chick to hatch will destroy the other eggs , in order to have its parent’s undivided attention . - african fish eagles are monogamous , meaning they mate for life .
harper , d . , m . harper , m . virani , a . smart , r . childress , r . adatia , i . henderson , b . chenge . 2002 . population fluctuations and their causes in the african fish eagle , ( haliaeetus vocifer ( daudin ) ) at lake naivasha , kenya . hydrobiologia , 488 : 171 - 180 .
the african fish - eagle features on the coat - of - arms of namibia and is also the national bird of both zimbabwe and zambia . these classic symbols of africa are found , usually in pairs , on most of the larger rivers , lakes , pans and dams of africa south of the sahara , and also in many coastal lagoons and estuaries .
pair of spread out eagle , falcon , hawk bird wings of different shape . set of angel wings . vector .
you needn’t be a serious birder to recognize the yodeling yelp of this striking raptor . often described as the sound of africa , the african fish eagle evokes images of lazy rivers and palm - fringed lake shores , often in duet with the grunting of hippos . and the bird itself , in all its black , white and chestnut finery , is equally unmistakable .
like most raptors , the african fish eagle is also an opportunist and not one to turn down a chance for a meal . this powerful raptor might attempt to catch things other than fish during dry periods when water levels are low . when the opportunity , or necessity , presents itself , they may prey on small birds and insects , especially termites . they also attack larger birds such as greater and lesser flamingos and even feed on carrion , animals that are already dead .
this species is still quite common near freshwater lakes , reservoirs , and rivers , although they can sometimes be found near the coast at the mouths of rivers or lagoons . as their name implies , african fish eagles are indigenous to sub - saharan
distribution of african fish eagle in southern africa , based on statistical smoothing of the records from first sa bird atlas project ( © animal demography unit , university of cape town ; smoothing by birgit erni and francesca little ) . colours range from dark blue ( most common ) through to yellow ( least common ) . see here for the latest distribution from the sabap2 .


leptosteges sordidalis is a moth in the crambidae family .

it was described by barnes and mcdunnough in 1913 .

it is found in north america , where it has been recorded from florida , ohio , south carolina and ontario .

leptosteges sordidalis

kyhl , my records show that this is possibly 5305 – leptosteges sordidalis . dr . john hyatt forwarded my pictures to brian g . scholteus who came up with this id .
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