Breeding status and ecology of the Martial Eagle in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, South Africa

Abstract

Herholdt, J.J. & Kemp, A.C. 1997. Breeding status and ecology of the Martial Eagle in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park. Ostrich 68 (24): 80–85. The success of 16 nesting areas (territories) of Martial Eagles was monitored for seven successive years (1988–1994) in a protected area in the Kalahari desert of South Africa. Martial Eagles mostly laid in consecutive years (38 out of 53 attempts) and fledged, on average, 0.43 young/pair/year (38/88). Most Martial Eagles laid eggs in May and June (72.2%; n = 13 attempts). Almost all located Martial Eagle nests were in the Acacia erioloba savanna in the dry Auob and Nossob riverbeds. Martial Eagle nesting areas were spaced at intervals of 24.1 km (1144.6 km; n = 6) along the Nossob River, 15.1 km (8–34 km; n = 7) in the Auob River and 31.3 km (25–43 km, n = 4) in the interior dune area. A total of between 20 and 30 Martial Eagle pairs (20 known active nesting areas) occurred in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park during the study period. There was no evidence of a decline in active nesting areas of Martial Eagles during the seven year study. There was no safe buffer zone around the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park and Martial Eagles were at times persecuted when foraging in the adjacent farmlands.