Kloof Conservancy BioGuide - Crowned Eagle
Wingspan 180cm (F) 165cm (M)
Mass 4.7kg (F) 4.1kg (M)
Conservation Status Near Threathened
They are not the largest of the African eagles but are considered the most powerful, as their legs are immensely strong and the talons are massively thick and wide, enabling the eagle to seize prey of up to 30kg.
The adult female is larger than the male. These birds have striking plumage; adult birds have rufous underwing coverts, a heavily mottled breast and belly and the primaries and secondaries are white with heavy black barring. The tail is long and barred and the wings are well-rounded, this shape increasing manoeuvrability, which is needed in the dense forests where they hunt.
The plumage of the juvenile and immature is strikingly different from the adult; creamy white, with a blonde head, darkly speckled flanks and legs and a heavily barred tail and underwing.
They are highly vocal and have a noisy, undulating display flight. The voice is a series of loud whistles that rise and fall in pitch. The male performs an elaborate rise-and-fall display over the forest canopy both during the breeding season and outside it as a territorial proposition. Displays consists of a series of steep dives and ascents, with a few wing-flaps at the top of each climb and descending circles and figures of eight whilst calling noisily. While awaiting food at the nest, both the female and the young call out in a penetrating, incessant cry.
In disposition, the crowned eagle is considered nervous, constantly alert and on edge, characteristics which are often associated with other forest-dwelling creatures.
Crowned Eagles eat mainly mammals, especially hyraxes, vervet monkeys and small antelope such as Blue Duiker. Studies done in the eThekwini area show that Hadeda Ibis also form part of the diet.
A large platform-nest is built in the fork of the tallest smooth-barked, forest tree in the area, often at the base of a ravine and is built mainly by the female. The same nest is often used over multiple breeding seasons. They have one of the longest breeding cycles of all birds, lasting up to 500 days.
One or two eggs are laid in September or October and are incubated for 49 days by the female. The male will deliver food to the female every 3 - 5 days. If two eggs hatch, the younger dies of starvation after being outcompeted for food or directly killed by the older sibling.
At about 110-115 days old the lone nestling typically clambers on to the branches surrounding the nest and takes its first flight, remaining reliant on its parents for food for 9-11 months longer before becoming fully independent.
It is a non-migratory raptor. They are territorial with a range between nests of a few kilometres. They lead a sedentary lifestyle, spending most of their adult years in the same area. Occurs from Guinea to South Africa.
They prefer forest habitats, dense woodland and forested gorges. They have adapted to building nests in alien eucalyptus plantations, most probably as a result of the destruction of indigenous forests.
Threatened, largely due to hunting by stock farmers and also the destruction of indigenous forest habitats.
There are three nest locations inside Krantzkloof and a number close by in the Nkuto Gorge, Everton Gorge, Hillcrest, Giba Gorge and the Stockville Road area.
The density of Crowned Eagles in the eThekwini area is above average and one of the highest in the world.
Increasing urbanisation and housing developments in the Upper Highway area are resulting in increased conflict between the Crowned Eagles and humans. The juveniles are particularly vulnerable as they fly near residential homes whilst learning to hunt.
There are 3 QR Code Labels for Crowned Eagles
Position 1 Molweni Trail at Ronald's Kloof
The cliff to the right of the QR Code position is known as Ronald's Kloof. Visit the Kloof Conservancy website for information on the history of the area: www.kloofconservancy.org.za/projects/memorial-park/history-of-memorial-park/
The nest is situated in a Forest Mahogany (Trichilia dregeana) next to the waterfall. This nest was in existence for approximately 40 years but collapsed in June 2014. Rebuilding of the nest started in April 2015. An egg was spotted in the new nest on Tuesday 11 August. Incubation is 49-55 days.
This nest has consistently produced one chick per year over an extended period and is a popular tourist attraction for the reserve.
Position 2 Beacon Trail at The Cellar
The nest is situated across the gorge in line with the iNgolube Falls which are visible from this viewspot. You will not see the nest from this spot but you should see the eagles moving in and out of the nest site.
Position 3 Ngolube Falls (short trail of the Forest - White Trail)
The Crowned Eagles nest is situated in a Forest Mahogany in the forest immediately below the QR Code position - look carefully and you should find it! This is an excellent spot for also spotting Martial Eagles and even Fish Eagles.
Crowned Eagles hunt mainly from a perch just below the forest canopy, where they swoop down on their prey from above. At times they hunt in pairs, where the one distracts the prey, as with monkeys, by calling from above, while the mate makes an unexpected ambush strike from behind.
Ububanzi bamphiko 180cm (F) 165cm (M)
Isisindo 4.7kg (F) 4.1kg (M)
Umumo Ngokongiwa Near Threathened
Azizona izi Nkozi ezinkulu kakhulu e Afrika kodwa zithathwa njengezinamandla, Imilenze yazo mikhulu futhi iqinile nezinzipho ezinde eziwugqinsi, Ezivumela ukhozi ukuhlwitha noma ukuphakamisa isilwane esingaba nesisindo esingangamashumi amathathu.
Ukhozi oludala lwesifazane lukhulu kunolwesilisa. Lezizinyoni zinezimpaphe ezihlabayo, esezindala zinezimpaphe ezihlukile ngaphansi kwamaphiko nesifuba esikhulu esidonsekele ngaphandle sanama chashaza kwizimpaphe zokuqala ezesibili zimhlophe zinemidwa emnyama.
umsila mude uqondile amaphiko athi awabe indilinga eyandayo.
Zidinga ihlathi enonile nelicinene ukuzingela ukudla kwazo.
Izimpiko zephuphu nolungaka qedi ukukhula zibukeka zihlukile koludala, limhlophe ngokufuna ukuba yelwana, ikhanda libebovana namachashazana aqgunqgile nezinyawo nomsila omi kahla oyisixwembana nangaphansi komsila.
Ukhozi lunezwi oluphezulu futhi lunomsindo, lundiza luye phezulu njengebhanoyi, imisindo enhlobonhlo yokukhala ezwakalela phansi naphezulu, olwesilisa lundiza ngokuhlukile luziveza phezu kwamahlathi ngeskhathi sokuzalela noma kungesona luutshengisa indawo yalo.
lukhombisa ngezinhlobonhlobo zokundiza lukhuphuke luye phezulu lwehle lucije luye ezansi lufinqge amaphiko lubheke phansi luzungeze emoyeni nekhwela elinomsindo.
ngesikhathi olwesifazane nephuphu lilinde ukudla luyakhala ngezwi elibukhali nelingapheli.
Ukungabi nendawo ukhozi lubukeka lusaba , luqaphile njalonjalo lusovalweni.
Izinto njalonjalo ezihambisana nokuhlala ehlathini
Ukhozi ludla kakhulu izilwane ezincelisayo, izimbila, izinkawu Kanye nezinyamazane ezincane njengempunzi, ucwaningo olwenziwe eThekwini lukhomba ukuthi nenkankane liba ukudla kwalo.
Isidleke esikhulu siyakhiwa ehlathini eliphakeme ezihlahleni ezinama gxolo abushelelezi, lwakhela ekujuleni kwehlathi sakhiwa olwesifazane. Isidleke siphindaphindwa kuzalelwe kusona izikhathi ezihlukene. zithatha isikhathi sokuzalela eside kunazozonke izinyoni, esiya kumakhulu amahlanu.
Amaqanda amabili noma elilodwa lizalelwa ngose ngo Mandulo noma ngo Mfumfu afukanyelwe izinsuku ezingama shumi amane nesishiyagalolunye olwesifazane.
Olwesilisa luletha ukudla kolwesifazane kusuka ezinsukwini ezintathu kuya kwezinhlanu , uma amaqanda echamisela ichwane elincane libulawa elidala libe ukudla kwalo.
Esikhathini esingangezinsuku eziyikhulu neshumu kuya kwezi yikhulu neshuminanhlanu iphuphu liyaqala liphume esindlekeni luhlale emagatsheni , luhlala isikhathi esiyizinyanga eziyisishiyagalolunye kuya kweziyishumi nanye luthembele lonina ngokudla, mase luqala lufunda ukundiza nkuzimela.
Ukhozi luyinyoni enga fuduki, lubanendawo enye ebangeni elingelide kusuka esidlekeni.
Ziyizinyoni ezihlala zihleli isikhathi eside sobudala baso endaweni eyodwa, zitholaka e Giniya kuya emzansi Afrika.
Zithanda impilo yasehlathini elikhulu elicinene nasemihosheni ecinene, zakha izidleke kuhlobo lo Gamu izihlahla, kunokwenzeka ukuthi ukushoda kwezihlahla zemvelo.
Zisebungozini bokuphela zizingelwa abalimi nabelusi nokushoda kwamahlathi endabuko kuphazamisa inhlalo yazo.
Kunezidleke ezimbili e Klansi Klufu Kanye neziningana eduze ne Kresi, Everton Gorge, emhosheni wase Giba nase stokivili , izidleke ezibonakalayo kwimi Khuhlu .
Ukutholakala kwalezizinyoni e Thekwini kowokuningi endaweni nase mhlabeni wonke .
Ukwanda kwezindawo eziphucuzekayo nokuthuthukiswa kwezindlu ezindaweni ezimaphakathi kwandisa impi phakathi kwabantu no khozi , amaphuphu ahlukumezeka kakhulu endizela emizini efunda ukundiza
Kunamalabuli amathathu kwi QR code yama isiHuhwa.
Engxenyeni yokuqala Molweni Trail kwi Ronalds’s Kloof. Isiwa esingakwesokudla engxenyeni ye QR Code saziwa njenge Ronald’s Kloof. Vakashela umqhafazo we Kloof Conservancy ngolwazi lomlando walenolawo www.kloofconservance.org.za/projects/memorialpark/history-of-memorial-park/
Isidleke sasibekwe eForest Mahogany (Trichilia Dregeana) eduze nempophoma. Lesisidleka sasisebenza cishe eminyaken engamashumi amane kodwa sabhidliks ngenyanga kanhlangulana 2014 kuze kube manje asikavuselelwa. Amanqe ahlala kulendawo unethuba elihle lokuthi uwabone.
Lesisi dleke sibe esizalela kakhulu , iphuphu ngonyaka isikhathi eside , sibe esinedumela kakhulu siheha abavakashi esiqiwini
Ingxenye yesibili Beacon Trail Kwindawo engaphansi (emgodini). Isidleke sakhiwe ngaphesheya komhosha ongaphesheya kwe iNgolube Falls okulula ukuthi usibone. Ungeke wasibona isidleke uma ukulendawa kodwa ungawaboa amanqe engena ephuma endaweni yesidleke.
Ingxenye yesithathu ngolube Falls (indela enqamulelayo ye Forest Trail)
Isidleke sama isiHuhwa sakhi kwi Forest Mohogany ehlathini kafishane ngaphansi kwengxenye ye QR Code. Bheka ngokucophelela uzoyibona. Khiyindawo ekahle yokuthni ubone ama Martial Eagles ngisho nama Fish Eagles.
Ukhozi luzingela kakhulu ehlathini maphansi, laluhesha khona ngaphansi kwezihlahla ukudla kwalo lusuka phezulu, Kwezinye izikhathi zizingela ngazimbili la olunye luphazamisa inyamazane yalo ngomsindo olunye lukhokhobe lushaye ikhanda luqhamuka ngemumva.