The
martial eagle (
Polemaetus bellicosus) is a large
eagle native to sub-Saharan Africa. A species of the booted eagle subfamily (
Aquilinae), it has feathering over its
tarsus. One of the largest and most powerful species of booted eagle, it is a fairly opportunistic predator that varies its prey selection between mammals, birds and reptiles. It is one of a few eagle species known to hunt primarily from a high soar, by stooping on its quarry. Currently, the species is classified as
endangered by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature. This martial eagle was photographed in the
Matetsi safari area in Zimbabwe.
Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp