Bateleur (Terathopius ecaudatus)

A new addition to the centre for July 2008 was a female Bateleur - "Nugget". She will be trained over the coming months and hopefully used as part of our new 'Wings out of Africa' display team.

She is 6 years old and nearly in full adult plumage; eventually the cere (fleshy part above the beak) and around the eyes will be red, as will her feet and legs. They generally reach full adult plumage at around 7 years of age.

Along with the female we have a male ("Dave") who is in immature plumage. Dave is 4 years old and starting to get some of his adult coloured feathers.

This pair of Bateleurs will be part of the 'Wings out of Africa' for a few years before being used for breeding.

The name 'Bateleur' comes from the french word for acrobat or gymnast. The adult plumage of the male and female is slightly different. The male will have no white markings on the lower parts of the wings.

IN THE WILD

Origin:  Africa: most of sub-Saharan Africa, except in the heavily forested regions.

Diet: Very varied, both live and dead: mostly kills mammals and birds, some reptiles; also takes carrion, insects (termites to locusts), occasionally birds' eggs and crabs. Considerable range of foods varies greatly in size up to a dikdik (small antelope weighing upto 4 kg). Takes lizards and some snakes but, unlike typical snake-eagles does not specialise in snakes or even reptiles in general and these form only a small precentage of prey taken.

Habitat: Mainly open country from grassland to savannah and subdesert thornbush, but also woodland. Not forest or wetland but may be seen over these areas on longer foraging journeys.