Long-crested Eagle
Lophaetus occipitalis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderAccipitriformes
- FamilyAccipitridae (Accipítrids)
- GenusLophaetus
- SpeciesLophaetus occipitalis (Long-crested Eagle)
The long-crested eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis) is an African bird of prey characterised by its shaggy crest of feathers. In the family Accipitridae which includes all the eagles, it is currently placed in a monotypic genus Lophaetus. It is found throughout mid- and southern Africa, with differing home ranges due to food availability and suitable habitat area, but lives mainly on forest edges and near moist areas. Breeding may occur at any time of year, depending on food availability; it lays 1 or 2 eggs as is usual for raptors. It commonly eats smaller mammals, but will also eat other vertebrates and invertebrates. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Long-crested Eagle sighting in Lake Manyara National Park, based on 35 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Lake Manyara National Park
White-backed Vulture
Gyps africanus
African Fish-Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
Bateleur
Terathopius ecaudatus
African Harrier-Hawk
Polyboroides typus
Augur Buzzard
Buteo augur
Palmnut Vulture
Gypohierax angolensis
Brown Snake Eagle
Circaetus cinereus
Martial Eagle
Polemaetus bellicosus
African Hawk-Eagle
Aquila spilogaster
Crowned Eagle
Stephanoaetus coronatus
Black Kite
Milvus migrans
Black-breasted Snake Eagle
Circaetus pectoralis
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
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
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Long-crested Eagle in Lake Manyara National Park?
About 12% of wildlife watchers report a Long-crested Eagle sighting in Lake Manyara National Park, based on 35 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Long-crested Eagle in Lake Manyara National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Long-crested Eagle in Lake Manyara National Park in our monthly data.