African Martial Eagle in the Serengeti

Photographing an African martial eagle in the Serengeti

I photographed this martial eagle in Tanzania’s Serengeti in 2023, using my Sony A7R V and a 200–600mm lens. What caught my attention was the turned head: the body angles along the branch, but those yellow eyes bring the face back toward the camera. The pale background leaves very little to distract from it.

My wife and I travelled to Africa on a photo tour and stayed inside the park so we could photograph in the early morning and late afternoon, away from the busier periods. I had been on bear tours where sightings were infrequent. The amount of wildlife in the Serengeti amazed me, and encounters like this were a large part of that experience.

What makes the martial eagle distinctive?

The martial eagle, Polemaetus bellicosus, is one of Africa’s largest eagles. Adults have dark heads and upper breasts, white underparts marked with dark spots, and yellow eyes. Females are larger than males. In this photograph, the contrast between the broad feathers and fine branches is almost as striking as the bird’s size.

My Serengeti Wall Art collection brings together photographs from that extraordinary landscape. I was able to make many images on the tour, and I am adding more as I work through them.

It is tempting to compare every large eagle by size. The golden eagle, harpy eagle, and Philippine eagle are all impressive, but “largest” depends on whether you mean wingspan, length, or weight. For this portrait, the measurements matter less to me than the bird’s posture and the clear separation between its head and the background.

Habitat, hunting, and time to observe

Martial eagles occur across much of sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania. Open grassland with scattered large trees and wooded savanna provide habitat. Their prey includes mammals, birds, and reptiles, and they may hunt while soaring above the ground. The Peregrine Fund’s martial eagle profile offers a fuller account of the species.

A perched bird gives me a different kind of photograph from a bird in flight. I can look at the feather pattern, the angle of the head, and how the branches enter the frame. A long lens helps keep a working distance, but I still need to watch the bird rather than concentrate only on the viewfinder. I would rather leave it undisturbed than provoke movement for another picture.

I explore those choices further in the difference between nature and wildlife photography. The setting is important, but the animal’s behaviour adds another responsibility to how I work.

A powerful bird that still needs protection

The Peregrine Fund identifies the martial eagle as Endangered and describes threats including habitat loss, poisoning, persecution, and power-line hazards. Its account also shows how young eagles continue depending on their parents after they begin flying. An impressive predator is not necessarily a secure species.

That is worth remembering when looking at a portrait like this. The photograph shows one bird clearly; it cannot tell the whole story of the conditions the species faces. For me, noticing the individual is a starting point for paying more attention.

My account of photographing elephants in the Serengeti shares more from the same tour. To see other bird photographs, from close portraits to animals within a wider setting, explore my Bird Wall Art collection.