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The African fish eagle (Icthyophaga vocifer) is a large species of eagle found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, wherever large bodies of open water with an abundant food supply occur. It is a generalist species, requiring only open water with sufficient prey and a good perch, as evidenced by the number of habitat types in which this species may be found. Habitats include grasslands, swamps, marshes, tropical rainforests and fynbos, as well as freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and rivers. Some are also found close to the coast, both at the mouths of rivers or lagoons and on desert-bordering coastline. The African fish eagle is a large bird, with females having a mass of 3.2 to 3.6 kg (7.1 to 7.9 lb), somewhat larger than the male, at 2.0 to 2.5 kg (4.4 to 5.5 lb). It breeds during the dry season, when water levels are low and it is believed to be a monogamous species. It is the national bird of Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This African fish eagle was photographed at Lake Ziway in Ethiopia.Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp