When it comes to spotting birds of prey, you don’t have to go further than Cape Town. Birds of prey ranging from the Verreaux’s Eagle, the Jackal Buzzard, the Black Harrier, the African Goshawk, the Kite and the Rock Kestrel all inhabit Cape Town.
All of these beautiful predatory birds can be found when taking your own safari drive around places like the Winelands and Cape Point.
Verreaux’s (Black) Eagle / Cape Town Safari
This black beauty can be found in the more mountainous regions of Cape Town with rocky cliffs. They breed between April and July and feed primarily on Rock Hyraxes. The scientific name for this raptor is ‘Aquila verrauxii’. With a wingspan of 2.3 metres, these birds of prey can be seen from below with a white Y underneath their wings.
Jackal Buzzard / Cape Town Safari
The Buteo rufofuscus has ominous dark red and brown eyes which can be seen if you happen to get a close look. These birds can feed on mammals up to the size of a hare! These buzzards breed between May and November and remain monogamous. It gets its name from the sound of its call which is very similar to the black-backed jackal.
Black Harrier / Cape Town Safari
The Circus maurus, or Black Harrier can be seen perched with yellow legs and eyes. They have a very distinct black and white striped tail. Their main food source is small rodents and mammals. Their nests are mainly built on the ground which consist of a clutch 3 to 5 eggs in each nest.
African Goshawk / Cape Town Safari
The Accipiter tachiro, or African Goshawk can be seen from Cape Town all the way up to the Democratic of Congo. These birds of prey can be spotted in woodlands and forested areas, typically soaring above the canopy of green trees. Its main meal is birds up to the size of Francolins.
Yellow-Billed Kite / Cape Town Safari
These amazing creatures have a completely yellow bill as well as yellow feet and can be seen spreading their wings all across the farmlands of the Cape. These birds can weigh up to 1 kg and have a wing span of 1.5m. Yellow-billed kites really take a liking to aquatic areas as well but won’t dare be seen in forests.
If you’re interested in spotting some of these birds on a Safari then make sure to book a tour with us by following this link: https://africantraveldesk.com/tour-category/safari/