Mole National Park, Ghana
June 2011

The Bateleur is distributed in most of Africa south of the Sahara. It is found in open woodland and tree or bush savanna where it feeds mainly on small mammals and birds but also reptiles, fish and insects.

It is a large-headed eagle with a very short tail and long primaries giving a silhouette in flight of long, broad-based wings. The adult has bright red bare facial skin, cere and feet and is generally black but with a chestnut mantle and back and a chestnut tail. In flight, the male has black inner primaries and secondaries contrasting with white underwing coverts. The female's underwing is largely white with a black trailing edge. The juvenile, as seen here is brown with greenish-blue bare facial skin, cere and legs.