glimpsedthechickdoingwhatbabyraptors
aresupposedto do sleep,eatandgrow.
Theparentswerewonderful.Formorethan
a monththemotherwasconstantlyonthenest,
a loomingmagnificencefiercelyguardingthe
frailnestlingagainstanythreat,andsheltering
it againsttheelements.
Steppingwithunerringprecisionoverand
aroundtheyoungster,herhugefeet with
killingtalonsto shamea bear exquisitely
placedto avoidtrampling,shewouldaccept
preybroughtfreshto thenestbythediligent
father.And,withgiantshearingbeak,would
tenderlyfeedit just-right-sizedstripsofwarm,
rawflesh.
Aftertwomonthsthenestlingwasalmost
thesizeofitsfatherandwasbeginningto
assertsomeindependence.Fully feathered in
black-and-whitecheckonits back and wings,
andwiththepaledownalmost replaced on
breastandbellywithsnow-white feathers, it
wouldregularlystandtalland proud in the nest,
mightilyflapitsstill-stumpy wings and fluff its
near-adulttail.
Themotherwouldleaveit alone on the nest
forincreasinglylongperiods, but would always
return,usuallywithfood,much to the shrieking
delightoftheever-hungryyoungster. By now,
mom&sstrip-tearingfeedingdays were over,
andtheuninhibitedchickwould launch itself
at greatchunksofdassie,buck, monkey, hadeda
orleguaan.Whateverwason the menu.
Thefather’srolealsohad subtly changed
fromprimaryproviderformother and chick,to security guard. If we very carefully scanned
the forest surrounding the nest tree, we might
just spot a solitary, erect, dark shape lurking
still and silent within the foliage, some 50 metres
away. Zoom in on his head to his intense,
all-seeing eyes and we’d know he would never
shirk his duties by falling asleep.
He would still do some hunting, but
would never alight on the nest. Instead, he&d
lay the food on his look-out branch, pinned
with a casual foot, and wait for the mother to
collect it for herself and the chick. Crowned
Eagle fathers have no direct contact with their
offspring, except perhaps to help their mate
drive it out of their territory when the time has
come for the next brood.
They’ll do some part-time egg-incubationCLOCKWISEFROMABOVE:“No,I don’twantthehood!”Notethejuvenile’smilky-blueeyes. She’ll only develop that scorching yellow gaze in adulthood. ● Only after Tammy
rejoinsWadeontheground,dotheyeasethechickoutofthebagandquicklyhoodandstrap her to avoid undue stress. Next step is fitting the specially designed BushQuip
straptoholdthewingsclosedtopreventanydamagetothesensitive,newlydevelopingwing feathers. ● First the metal SAFRING is fitted to the right leg. After about
70 daysthefledgling’starsalbonesarefullydeveloped.●Nextthecolouredalpha-numericcoded research ring is fitted to the left leg. The chick is now identified as ‘L5’.
●Nowthetoemeasuring.Anextensivedatabaseofkeybody-partmeasurementsis maintained. ● Eagles’ primary weapons are their formidable talons. They seldom bite,
butwatchoutforthesharp-edgedshearingbill.Notethehalluxtalonoffthehindtoe.Ona large adult female Crowned Eagle it can be up to nine centimetres long – the
biggestsingleweaponofanyland-basedpredatoronEarth.
September 2019 072 http://www.countrylife.co.zaCONSERVATION ◗ EAGLE RINGING