Fun Madagascar Serpent Eagle Facts For Kids
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The Madagascar serpent eagle (Eutriorchis astur) is an unusual bird. It's found in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar and has a distinctive appearance with its dark chestnut-brown medium-sized body, white head, yellow eyes, and forked tail.
These eagles live in pairs or small groups, typically perching high on trees near water sources such as rivers or lakes. They are also very patient hunters, waiting until their prey comes within range before attacking it with their talons.
This eagle is among the prey birds of the world endemic to Madagascar.
These raptors of the world have been seen mostly hunting for large insects, reptiles, and rodents. This bird is considered endangered by IUCN due to loss of habitat and because it is hunted for its feathers which are used in traditional medicines.
It has a long snake-like neck and large claws that it uses to catch prey from rivers and lakes. The adult's head is completely white while its body feathers range in color from light brown to dark gray with black spots.
It also has two sets of eyelids which help protect their eyes when they are hunting underwater for food. It also has a long tail that it uses for balance as it flies through the forest searching for prey like small mammals and birds.
When hunting, this raptor hovers in one place before diving at its target with claws outstretched.
These birds have short rounded wings with an average wingspan of 5 ft (1.5 m). Its body is mostly black with white feathers underneath and it has dark barring of brown spots on its chest.
These birds have long, curved talons that are used to hunt their prey. These eagles live near trees and dense forests because these animals provide more food sources than grasslands do!
For more relatable content, check out these swallow-tailed kite facts and brant facts for kids.
Madagascar Serpent Eagle Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a Madagascar serpent eagle?
Among the most ferocious birds species of the world, this eagle species is one of them enjoying its best life with the family in the forest!
What class of animal does a Madagascar serpent eagle belong to?
These birds species belong to the class Aves and the family Accipitridae just like a sparrowhawk!
How many Madagascar serpent eagles are there in the world?
With less than 100 pairs remaining, this bird's future looks dire indeed!
Where does a Madagascar serpent eagle live?
They typically live in mountainous regions, where they can usually find prey such as rodents species like black rats and small birds like ducks, for food.
What is a Madagascar serpent eagle's habitat?
These raptors species live on this tiny African country because they are able to live anywhere from dense forests and wetlands filled with water holes for hunting fish down south or even perch atop tall buildings where food might be more scarce but easier to find when compared against finding it out deep within forest trees while avoiding predators such as snakes that can easily kill them if given half a chance.
Who does Madagascar serpent eagle live with?
It is not unusual for these birds to live as solitary creatures deep in the forest.
It may nest in the forest, perch on top of tall trees or fly from tree to tree without ever landing except when it enters into its territory during the breeding season and looks after young chicks with other adults who are also mated pairs.
How long does a Madagascar serpent eagle (Eutriorchis astur) live?
It is not unusual for them to live as solitary creatures. It may nest in the forest of Madagascar, perch on top of tall trees or fly from tree to tree without ever landing except when it enters into its territory during the breeding season and looks after young chicks with other adults who are also mated pairs.
How do they reproduce?
This bird is the rarest bird in all of Africa with only one egg being laid per female each breeding season.
What is their conservation status?
These birds of the world have been given the IUCN status of being Endangered. This bird is endemic to Madagascar, and does not have a very good chance at survival given its small population size and low rate of reproduction. These rare birds are struggling to survive in their habitat.
Madagascar Serpent Eagle Fun Facts
What does Madagascar serpent eagle (Eutriorchis) look like?
Male and female versions are both stunningly beautiful birds with a grey-black back to their wings that contrasts nicely against their white chest feathers. These birds have a distinctive dark barring of black mustache barring running down from each eye for added effect!
*Please note that this is an image of a Steppe eagle. If you have an image of a Madagascar serpent eagle (Eutriorchis astur) please let us know at hello@kidadl.com.
How cute are they?
These endemic bird species are not only majestic in appearance but also sweet and adorable. With their deep yellow eyes and dark heads contrasted by a white neck striped with dark black barring, they make for an exquisite sight to behold in their habitat, mostly in a nest!
How do they communicate?
It is not always easy for a bird species living in Madagascar to find its way around because there can be days with little sunlight or moonlight available. Fortunately, these birds have developed an ingenious method of staying connected even through the darkest nights on this island country: communicating via body language, using wing positions and tail motions!
How big is a Madagascar serpent eagle?
This bird is a large raptor, measuring up to 25-28 in (60-68 cm) in length. With Mascarene Island roots and African heritage, the bird thrives on small mammals found within its range across Africa's grasslands as well as a primary rainforest of tropical regions.
How fast can a Madagascar serpent eagle fly?
These birds species can soar at speeds of over 80 mph (120 kph), and their top speed has been calculated in laboratory tests as 100 mph (140 kph)!
How much does a Madagascar serpent eagle (Eutriorchis) weigh?
This species of the genus Eutriorchis, inhabits the primary rainforest and scrubland, but rarely ventures out of their habitat into the world of grasslands or thorn forests to find food. The average weight for this raptor species is about 1.5-2 lb (700-850 g).
What are the male and female names of the species?
Both the male and female species are commonly referred to as serpent eagle Madagascar species as they do not have any scientific names.
What would you call a baby Madagascar serpent eagle?
These cute little adorable babies are known as chicks!
What do they eat?
These endangered birds species of the world belonging to the genus Eutriochis, are carnivorous that eats small insects, frogs, and smaller birds like bats.
Are they poisonous?
No, they are not poisonous at all and their limited distribution makes them far from being dangerous!
Would they make a good pet?
Wildlife enthusiasts far and wide are in agreement that this raptor species would make the perfect pet. The only problem is finding one as they're limited to their natural habitat and have a confined population, so you'll need your luck - or eagle-eyed skills!
Did you know...
This raptor's population is one of the smallest in Africa. These raptors species can soar over 50 ft ( 15-18 m) high at a time!
Are they loud?
The loud screech of these endangered species can be heard from miles away from their habitat deep in a forest.
Are they predators?
Yes, these species are fierce predators that hunt and feed on a population of small mammals species, such as rats.
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 white gyrfalcon facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Madagascar serpent eagle coloring pages.
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Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Master of Public Health
Iram AshfaqBachelor of Dental Surgery, Master of Public Health
With a Bachelor's degree in Dental Surgery from Shaney Institute of Health Sciences and a Master's degree in Public Health from Imperial College London, Iram is a highly qualified and accomplished writer from Srinagar, India. Over the course of a year, she has acquired multiple writing certifications, focusing on health sciences and research studies. Prior to joining Kidadl, Iram gained valuable experience working as a content writer for Indian firms and interning at a New York-based company. Her expertise and passion for writing shine through in her ability to create compelling content across a variety of topics.
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