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

Long-crested Eagle

Lophaetus occipitalis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Virunga National Park
530 Verified records at Virunga National Park
February 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 →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Long-crested Eagle sighting in Virunga National Park, based on 530 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Virunga National Park

Black Kite
LC

Black Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Milvus migrans

20–30% · Possible
Augur Buzzard
LC

Augur Buzzard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteo augur

20–30% · Possible
African Harrier-Hawk
LC

African Harrier-Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Polyboroides typus

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

African Fish-Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Haliaeetus vocifer

10–20% · With luck
Palmnut Vulture
LC

Palmnut Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gypohierax angolensis

10–20% · With luck
Mountain Buzzard
NT

Mountain Buzzard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteo oreophilus

5–10% · With luck
Bateleur
EN

Bateleur

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Terathopius ecaudatus

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

White-backed Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gyps africanus

5–10% · With luck
Crowned Eagle
NT

Crowned Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Stephanoaetus coronatus

5–10% · Rare
Brown Snake Eagle
LC

Brown Snake Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Circaetus cinereus

<5% · Rare
Banded Snake-Eagle
LC

Banded Snake-Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Circaetus cinerascens

<5% · Rare
Lizard Buzzard
LC

Lizard Buzzard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Kaupifalco monogrammicus

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

10–20
Jan
10–20
Feb
10–20
Mar
5–10
Apr
10–20
May
10–20
Jun
10–20
Jul
10–20
Aug
10–20
Sep
5–10
Oct
10–20
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 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 Virunga National Park?

About 12% of wildlife watchers report a Long-crested Eagle sighting in Virunga National Park, based on 530 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Long-crested Eagle in Virunga National Park?

February has the highest sighting rate for Long-crested Eagle in Virunga National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Virunga National Park