Fun Madagascan Fish Eagle Facts For Kids

Madagascar fish eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides) is one of the most menacing raptors of the world. It is endemic to the west coast of Madagascar and prefers a habitat of about 4000 ft above sea level.

It has dark brown plumage, a white head mask just like the African fish eagle, and a sharp, brown-colored bill. They produce loud calls that can be heard at great distances.

These sea eagle species have keen eyesight that helps them to spot their prey from large trees. Like other birds of prey, the Madagascar fish eagles prey on a variety of fishes, crabs, turtles, and even nestlings of other smaller birds.

The Madagascar fish eagle is the national bird of Madagascar. It is 24–26 in (60–66cm) in length and is considered a critically endangered species. Females are slightly bigger in size than males with a wingspan of 65–71 in (165–180cm). Females lay about two eggs and are responsible for incubation.

Males of the species also help them in protecting their eggs. They are sedentary in nature and spend long hours perched atop trees. This bird species is non-migratory in nature. Keep reading to know more facts about this intriguing raptor.

If you liked reading this article, then do check out these bald eagle and Bateleur eagle facts.

Madagascan Fish Eagle Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Madagascan fish eagle?

Madagascar fish eagle is one of the birds of prey, just like the African fish eagle.

What class of animal does a Madagascan fish eagle belong to?

The Madagascar fish eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides) belongs to the class Aves.

How many Madagascan fish eagles are there in the world?

Madagascar fish eagle is a monotypic species and thus, they do not have any subspecies in their genera. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are currently around 360 individuals present in the world. This makes them Critically Endangered.

Where does a Madagascan fish eagle live?

The Haliaeetus vociferoides, Madagascar fish eagle, resides in the wetland areas like the lakes, rivers, islands, mangroves. They prefer the coastal areas and the seashores with large trees from where they can easily spot their prey.

What is a Madagascan fish eagle's habitat?

The Madagascan fish eagle habitat includes the West coast of Madagascar only, and thus, they are considered as critically endangered birds in the IUCN red list of threatened species.

Who do Madagascan fish eagles live with?

The Madagascar fish eagle is usually spotted in pairs and is sedentary in nature.

How long does a Madagascan fish eagle live?

The exact lifespan of the Madagascan fish eagle is not known. However, other Haliaeetus species are known to live for about 20 years.

How do they reproduce?

The Madagascar fish eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides) reproduces by laying one or two eggs. They practice polyandry and the females are often seen to mate with more than one male.

This particular behavior is unique in this species as the other birds of prey are monogamous in nature. The breeding season starts from the month of May and the eggs are hatched in mid-July.

Females incubate their eggs for up to 42 days and are assisted by males. They build large nests made of sticks on top of trees or rocky cliffs. The chicks, after hatching, undergo a competition, wherein, one chick survives and the weaker one starves and eventually dies.

Sometimes, the stronger chick kicks out the weaker ones from the nest and can even prey on it. After about 82 days, the chicks begin to fledge and prepare to take off from the nest afterwards.

Before that, the chick requires constant assistance from their parents in order to be safe from dangers like getting shot, poisoned, or electrocuted. They are also picked up by other raptors.

What is their conservation status?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species has listed the Madagascar fish eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides) as a critically endangered species. The population of this bird of prey is declining at a great pace due to mass forest clearings, water pollution, and growing agricultural practices.

Poaching of these species along with other birds of prey is another contributing factor in their population decline according to the IUCN red list.

Madagascan Fish Eagle Fun Facts

What do Madagascan fish eagles look like?

The Madagascar fish eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides) is a dark brown bird of prey found only in Madagascar and is the closest relative of H. vocifer, which produces similar calls. These species of birds have a white tail and their head is defined by a white mask.

Females are larger than males and practice polyandry, a feature unique to this species. The feathers of the birds have a brown color overall, with dark brown flight feathers being visible.

The upper breast has rufous streaks while the lower breast is plain brown in color. They have powerful, bare legs with white feet.

The eyes are brown in color and bill is black in color with a grayish cere.

These birds display intriguing vocal and aerial acts in order to attract their mates. Females may mate with other males in case their eggs fail to hatch or are destroyed.

These birds of prey are known to mate for life and their breeding season starts from the end of May. They are surface-dwelling birds and plunge-dive in order to catch fish from water bodies.

How cute are they?

Like other birds of prey, the Madagascar fish eagles are menacing predators and hunts down their prey after long periods of careful observation. Hence, this species of bird is not considered to be cute.

How do they communicate?

The species of Madagascar fish eagle have an extremely loud voice. They communicate by their periodic shrill call, which can be heard throughout the year. Males and females are also seen to participate in duets, perched side by side. The chicks have an even louder voice.

How big is a Madagascan fish eagle?

The Madagascar fish eagle is 24–26 in (60–66cm) in length and is the largest bird of prey in Madagascar and is much bigger than the ivory-billed woodpecker, which is about 19 in (50 cm).

How fast can a Madagascan fish eagle fly?

The Madagascar Fish eagles are sedentary in nature. They are surface-dwelling bird species and spend much of their time spotting their prey with their keen eyesight. Often they are seen soaring in the sky and above the water bodies.

How much does a Madagascan fish eagle weigh?

The Madagascar fish eagles weigh about 4.8–7.7 lb (2.2–3.5kg) and are slightly more in weight than its closest relative, the African fish eagle.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names given to the male and female birds of this species.

What would you call a baby Madagascan fish eagle?

The baby Madagascar fish eagle is called a chick.

What do they eat?

The Madagascan fish eagle diet includes fishes, crabs, turtles, smaller birds. They are also seen to pirate prey from other animals and are extremely good at hunting.

They utilize a series of strategies while hunting. The fish eagles pay attention to the movement of their prey for long hours. Before attacking, they strategize patiently and once they get an opportunity, they soars swiftly above the shallow water bodies and capture their prey in an instant.

Are they dangerous?

They are not considered dangerous and do not pose any threat to humans. Although, like other species of eagles, they become extremely territorial in nature during their breeding season and can become aggressive if disturbed.

Would they make a good pet?

The Madagascar fish eagle is one of the menacing raptors of the world and is a great predator. It has brown plumage and sharp claws and a beak.

They fly over water bodies and perch for long hours on the rocky cliffs and trees in order to catch their prey. Thus, fish eagles are not the perfect pets to keep.

Did you know...

The Madagascar fish eagle population is currently less than 400 in the north and western part of Madagascar. They are often hunted down by humans following superstitious beliefs.

Most of these birds are caught and their feet are often chopped off as it is believed that the feet of this eagle will bring healing powers to the family. Eventually, most of them succumb to starvation being unable to hunt or get severely infected with diseases, and can no longer survive.

These birds are also known to sometimes steal their prey from other animals as well as humans.

Why is the Madagascan fish eagle endangered?

The Madagascar fish eagle is listed as a critically endangered species. This is due to increased amounts of deforestation, rise in water pollution, and acidic water content. Poor agricultural practices and poaching are also contributing factors to their decreased population which currently stands at a mere 360 odd individuals.

Why is it called Madagascan fish eagle?

The Haliaeetus vociferoides, Madagascar fish eagle, are endemic to the west coast of Madagascar. They are also the national bird of Madagascar and are thus, called Madagascan Fish Eagle.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these sea eagle facts and gyrfalcon facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable eagle coloring pages.

Image one by Francesco Veronesi from Italy.

Image two by Madagascar Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides).