Black Eagle up-date Aug 2013

Faithful Black Eagles continue to breed

Photo by Garth Heydenrych 

At the Walter Sisulu botanical gardens in Roodepoort (Gauteng, South Africa) the female Black Eagle (Verreaux's eagle - Aquila verreauxii), called Emoyeni, laid two eggs on 15 and 19 April 2013. The eagle pair were sighted collecting twigs and leaves to prepare their nest for the expected brood. Emoyeni has bred annually over the past 30 years with the exception of a few odd years. Only the past 30 years are counted since the establishment of the Garden, but some sources claim that these eagles have been residing in this area for more than 40 years.

Usually around February, the eagle pair mate and groom each other whilst tending and preparing their nest. After a 45 to 60 day incubation period two chicks hatch, but only one is likely to make it to adulthood. The other may not even hatch, but if it does, the older chick that hatched first, will poke its younger sibling to death. This is known as the Cain and Abel struggle and it all happens in the presence of the parents who seem to tolerate this behaviour.

(Photo Lian van den Heever) 

In July 2013 however, there was no sign of the old eggs on the nest, and some mating behaviour was observed.

Picture G. Heydenrych 

Then, on the 17th August 2013, an egg was spotted in the nest with the second one following on the 19th August. Hopefully now, after a 45 to 60 day incubation period, two chicks will hatch, ensuring another future generation of Black Eagles.

19th August 2013 - two eggs in the nest 

Although this is good news, the hot summer weather can pose a challenge because breeding usually takes place in winter with the eggs hatching in mid-May. The latest batch of eggs, after a 45-day incubation period, will only hatch at the beginning of October, which is mid-summer here in South Africa. But these birds are very adaptable and all this will not hinder them from producing another generation in summer.

The Black Eagles can be viewed from a live feed web link from the wildlife multilink platform of Black Eagle Webcam that documents a multitude of animals through live video.

(Info from Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens Newsletter)

 

Screenshot from Wikipedia

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Black Eagle chicks in the midst of a Cain and Abel struggle

Two eggs were laid by the Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden’s resident Black Eagle pair during May 2012. The eggs hatched in early June after an incubation period of 44 to 45 days and two chicks emerged four to five days apart. 

The sad reality is that only a single chick will grow to adulthood. The reason for this being a phenomena called Cainism (or in other words a Cain and Abel struggle) whereby the stronger of the two chicks (usually the oldest (Cain), attacks and eventually kills and devours its sibling (Abel) after a 3 to 4 day struggle. The first chick, being the older and the stronger, will intercept the food offered by the female. The male provides most of the food while the chick is in the nest while the female feeds the young chick during the early stages and also defends the nest. The chick will grow into a handsome golden/brown juvenile eaglet. 

The gardens are situated in Roodepoort (Gauteng, South Africa) and fifteen eagle-generations have passed since the Black eagles (Verreaux’s eagles) were discovered in the Garden - I have been following the life of these two Black Eagles (Verreaux’s (Black) Eagles) for many years. Over the past 30 years Emoyeni, the female, has produced a chick every second year or even annually at times. In Nov 2011, Mbuso, their last juvenile Black Eagle chick, left the Garden to establish his own territory.

 Mbuso

The Black Eagles on their nest

The webcam focusing on the nest

The male circling the nest

For more interesting info visit the website or view the eagles via webcam or alternatively view them on TV at the Garden entrance.

PS : You can read all the Black Eagle articles in the menu on the left - they are all coloured RED

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