The interesting case of the Bateleur / Die vreemde geval van die Berghaan
Have you ever wondered about the curious case of the Bateleur? Why would such a large bird species have various peculiar habits? Survival. As any animal living in the Kalahari Dessert, the Bateleur has adapted to thrive despite all of the amazing challenges.
Rooster of the flock!
A razor sharp beak and talons distinguishes the Bateleur as a prominent bird of prey. Dark red feet and beak is how this eagle obtained its name. In Afrikaans, ‘Berghaan’ , directly translated means Mountain Rooster. As roosters most commonly have dark red talons and beaks it closely relates as this rooster can roam the skies and is considered the rooster of the flock!
The more commonly known name, Bateleur, was given to this magnificent bird in the 1800s by a Frenchman. Click here to find out how completely suitable this reference is!
Habitat
The, Terathopius ecaudatus , recides mostly in Savanna areas and will easily be spotted in various game parks in the east of Southern Africa. The Bateleur can only be found in the northern part of the Kalahari Dessert. Here there are endless rolling sand dunes and less annual rain than more south and east of the Kalahari. It is questionable why the Bateleur has chosen the toughest part of the Kalahari to survive.
Aggression and Territoriality
Bateleurs are also extremely territorial towards other Bateleurs as well as other bird species. Males and females tend to mate for life and when they nest, the nest is heavily protected. A study done by the Department of Zoology of the University of the Witwatersrand have found that Bateleurs will even attack other bird species that come close to their nest. This type of behavior is displayed throughout the year.
Year round territoriality can also be to defend a specific or a collection of resources in the vicinity of the nest. Battle tactics of the Bateleur is also quite fascinating. They often gain altitude and attack from above or retreat to the high skies where the risk of injury is less. Similar behavior can be seen in other raptors such as the fish eagle. (Watson, 1998)
Unnatural threats
Sadly this magnificent bird is under threat. The Bateleur’s numbers have decreased to such an extent that it is now on the endangered species list. Competition from expanding squatter camps and veld pollution of plastic, wire and other harmful substances in the Kalahari have provided challenges no bird can adapt to survive to.
The Bateleur is truly a magnificent raptor with its striking red, white and black colors. Any bird watcher will be mesmerized by its elegance and power in its talons and marvelous wing beat. See some of our other articles on tips for bird watching as well as a review of the Kgalagadi National Park to find out how and where one can witness the Bateleur in its natural environment.
