The African fish eagle (Icthyophaga vocifer) is probably Africa’s most famous bird. Here are five fun facts about African fish eagles you likely didn’t know.
If you’ve ever been on an African safari, you’ll likely have seen or heard the call of an African fish eagle. This enormous white-headed eagle (also called the African sea eagle) can be found throughout sub-Saharan Africa – basically wherever there are large bodies of open water for it to catch prey.
1. It’s the national bird of Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Zambia
The African fish eagle is part of the culture, folklore, and more of numerous African societies.
Case in point, it’s the national bird of four Southern African nations: Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe! It also appears in the coats of arms of South Sudan, Namibia, and Zambia.
The African fish eagle is a symbol of power and grace in various African folklores. According to Birds in Folklore, Zulus traditionally associated the bird with orderliness and discipline, and thus highly respect it. And the Zezuru, a subgroup of the Shona, believe bad luck follows if you witness one catch a fish.
Finally, it plays a particularly important role in Zimbabwean culture. The Zimbabwe Bird, an historic sculpture found in the mediaeval city of Great Zimbabwe, is widely believed to represent an African fish eagle (or a composite of the bird with the bateleur eagle and grey crowned crane). You can see a depiction of this famous sculpture on the Zimbabwean flag, shown above.
Nature & Wildlife, Waterways & Wetlands, Big 5 Safari, Dramatic Vistas
Nature & Wildlife, Waterways & Wetlands, Wilderness Walks, Big 5 Safari
2. It sometimes eats flamingoes and baby crocodiles
The African fish eagle feeds mostly on fish, as per its more popular name. But it is a wildly unpicky eater. It eats various reptiles, including crocodile hatchlings, terrapins (turtles), and Nile monitors. It also eats various birds, from doves to ducks. It especially targets waterbirds, like ducks and cormorants, hatchlings of large species like storks and herons, and even adult greater and lesser flamingoes!
Beyond this, African fish eagles will eat insects, small mammals, amphibians, and even carrion.
3. Its toes have barbs to help catch slippery prey
African fish eagles have rough barbs, called spiricules, on the undersides of their toes and pads. These help them to grip slimy fish, especially in the fraction of time needed before their talons sink in.
While African fish eagles usually catch prey weighing under one kilogram, they occasionally go for animals more than four times that! That said, if a particular catch turns out to be too heavy to sustain flight, the eagle will lower itself and the prey to the water, and then ‘paddle’ with its wings to the shore!
4. It often steals food from smaller birds
African fish eagles are symbols of strength, as already mentioned. They’re also the very picture of competence. Females (the larger of the two sexes) have typical wingspans of 2 to 2.2 m (6.5 to 7.2 ft). It’s truly an apex predator. And yet it’s not above a bit of scavenging. The scientific term for what they do is kleptoparasitism.
The eagles usually target the prey of large waterbirds, such as Goliath herons, marabou storks, and shoebills. These species catch big prey worth snatching, and they also take a long time handling them, so there’s a window in which the eagles can execute said snatchings.
5. It produces ‘the sound of Africa’
The African fish eagle’s call is loud, high-pitched, and piercing. For many, whether African or foreign, it’s something akin to an African soundtrack. At least, that is, when you think of the wild, wide-open spaces of Africa.
It’s particularly beautiful when you hear African fish eagle duets. The video below from Lion Mountain TV shows how they also throw back their heads, beaks to the sky, when vocalising.
When you next go on safari to Africa, listen out for the iconic African fish eagle call! And if you’re particularly eager to increase your chances of encountering this incredible bird, consider including a Lake Victoria tour, Lake Malawi adventure, or Okavango Delta safari in your itinerary.
Note: This blog post was created in December 2025 by Brownyn Paxton. It was completely rewritten in September 2026 by Megan Abigail White.
