Photo: Dfmalan / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Verreaux’s Eagle
Aquila verreauxii
Verreaux's Eagle (Aquila verreauxii) — Birds of Prey of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Verreaux’s Eagle (Aquila verreauxii) is a member of the Accipitridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 4.2 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Eagles
- Genus Aquila
- Species verreauxii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 4.2 kg
- Diet
- Vertebrate hunters
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Verreaux’s Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Verreaux’s Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Verreaux’s Eagle (Aquila verreauxii) belongs to the Accipitridae family of the order Accipitriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread, also Arabian Pen.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 4.2 kg, with a wing length of about 59 cm and a tail of around 40.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 4 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Verreaux’s Eagle?
The Verreaux’s Eagle is a very large bird that weighs around 4.2 kg.
Where does the Verreaux’s Eagle live?
The Verreaux’s Eagle is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, also Arabian Pen, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Verreaux’s Eagle belong to?
The Verreaux’s Eagle (Aquila verreauxii) belongs to the Accipitridae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Verreaux’s Eagle eat?
The Verreaux’s Eagle preys mainly on other vertebrates.
Does the Verreaux’s Eagle migrate?
The Verreaux’s Eagle is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Verreaux’s Eagle endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Verreaux’s Eagle's range?
The Verreaux’s Eagle has a mapped global range of about 4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Meet the Accipitridae
A field guide to the Accipitridae family — 254 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.