Martial Eagle
Martial EagleMartial EagleMartial EagleMartial Eagle

Martial Eagle

Polemaetus bellicosus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Etosha National Park
122 Verified records at Etosha National Park
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) is a large eagle native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the only member of the genus Polemaetus. A species of the booted eagle subfamily (Aquilinae), it has feathers 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 few eagle species known to hunt primarily from a high soar, by stooping on its quarry. This species, an inhabitant of wooded belts of otherwise open savanna, has shown a precipitous decline in the last few centuries due to a variety of factors. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Martial Eagle sighting in Etosha National Park, based on 122 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Etosha National Park

Pale Chanting Goshawk
LC

Pale Chanting Goshawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melierax canorus

50–60% · Likely
Tawny Eagle
VU

Tawny Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aquila rapax

30–40% · Possible
White-backed Vulture
CR

White-backed Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gyps africanus

20–30% · Possible
Bateleur
EN

Bateleur

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Terathopius ecaudatus

20–30% · Possible
Gabar Goshawk
LC

Gabar Goshawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Micronisus gabar

20–30% · With luck
Lappet-faced Vulture
EN

Lappet-faced Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Torgos tracheliotos

10–20% · With luck
Black-breasted Snake Eagle
LC

Black-breasted Snake Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Circaetus pectoralis

5–10% · With luck
White-headed Vulture
CR

White-headed Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Trigonoceps occipitalis

5–10% · With luck
African Hawk-Eagle
LC

African Hawk-Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aquila spilogaster

5–10% · Rare
Cape Griffon
VU

Cape Griffon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gyps coprotheres

Insufficient data
Hooded Vulture
CR

Hooded Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Necrosyrtes monachus

Insufficient data
Black-winged Kite
LC

Black-winged Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Elanus caeruleus

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
<5
Feb
5–10
Mar
10–20
Apr
5–10
May
10–20
Jun
5–10
Jul
5–10
Aug
10–20
Sep
10–20
Oct
5–10
Nov
5–10
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
2 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
3 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
4 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
5 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
20–30%
6 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
20–30%
7 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
20–30%
8 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
20–30%
9 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
10 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
10–20%
11 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
12 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
13 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
14 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
15 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
16 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
17 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
18 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
10–20%
19 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
10–20%
20 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
10–20%
21 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
22 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
23 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
24 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
25 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
26 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
27 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
28 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
5–10%
29 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
30 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
31 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
5–10%
32 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
5–10%
33 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
5–10%
34 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
5–10%
35 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
5–10%
36 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
37 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
38 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
39 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
40 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
41 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
<5%
42 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
43 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
44 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
45 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
46 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
47 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data
48 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
49 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
50 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
51 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Martial Eagle in Etosha National Park?

About 8% of wildlife watchers report a Martial Eagle sighting in Etosha National Park, based on 122 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Martial Eagle in Etosha National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Martial Eagle in Etosha National Park in our monthly data.

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