Long-crested Eagle
Long-crested EagleLong-crested EagleLong-crested EagleLong-crested Eagle

Long-crested Eagle

Lophaetus occipitalis

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

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 →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Long-crested Eagle sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 173 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Masai Mara National Reserve

White-backed Vulture
CR

White-backed Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gyps africanus

40–50% · Likely
Bateleur
EN

Bateleur

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Terathopius ecaudatus

40–50% · Likely
Tawny Eagle
VU

Tawny Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aquila rapax

30–40% · Possible
Lappet-faced Vulture
EN

Lappet-faced Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Torgos tracheliotos

30–40% · Possible
Black-winged Kite
LC

Black-winged Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Elanus caeruleus

20–30% · Possible
Black-breasted Snake Eagle
LC

Black-breasted Snake Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Circaetus pectoralis

20–30% · Possible
Hooded Vulture
CR

Hooded Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Necrosyrtes monachus

20–30% · Possible
Ruppell's griffon

Ruppell's griffon

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gyps rueppellii

10–20% · With luck
African Fish-Eagle
LC

African Fish-Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haliaeetus vocifer

10–20% · With luck
Martial Eagle
EN

Martial Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Polemaetus bellicosus

10–20% · With luck
Dark Chanting-Goshawk
LC

Dark Chanting-Goshawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melierax metabates

10–20% · With luck
Brown Snake Eagle
LC

Brown Snake Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Circaetus cinereus

10–20% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
10–20
Feb
10–20
Mar
5–10
Apr
5–10
May
<5
Jun
5–10
Jul
5–10
Aug
5–10
Sep
<5
Oct
5–10
Nov
<5
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 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
50–60%
2 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
40–50%
3 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
30–40%
4 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
20–30%
5 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
20–30%
6 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
7 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
8 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
9 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
10 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
11 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
12 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
10–20%
13 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
14 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
15 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
16 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
17 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
18 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
19 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
20 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
21 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
5–10%
22 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
5–10%
23 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
5–10%
24 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
25 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
26 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
27 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
<5%
28 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
29 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
30 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
31 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
32 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
33 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
34 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
35 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
36 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
37 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
38 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
39 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
40 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
Insufficient data
41 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
42 Bale Mountains National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
43 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
44 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
Insufficient data
45 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
46 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Long-crested Eagle in Masai Mara National Reserve?

About 6% of wildlife watchers report a Long-crested Eagle sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve, based on 173 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Long-crested Eagle in Masai Mara National Reserve?

March has the highest sighting rate for Long-crested Eagle in Masai Mara National Reserve in our monthly data.

← Back to Masai Mara National Reserve