Bateleur

The Bateleur is a distinctive raptor of the African savanna, named for the French word for a tightrope walker or acrobat, describing its characteristic rocking flight as it balances on long wings with an unusually short tail.

Its plumage combines black body feathers with a rich chestnut back and mantle, and pale gray to whitish flight feathers visible from below in flight, creating a bold, high-contrast pattern.

The extremely short tail, barely extending beyond the wingtips at rest, is one of the most unusual proportions among African raptors and makes its tail feathers noticeably different in shape from most other birds of prey.

Shape and Size

Flight feathers are broad and long relative to the very short tail feathers, which are unusually stubby compared to almost any other raptor of similar body size.

Color and Pattern

• Body feathers: black
• Back and mantle feathers: rich chestnut brown
• Underwing flight feathers: pale gray to whitish, contrasting with black wing linings and body
• Tail feathers: black, notably short
• Shafts: dark on black feathers, pale on the whitish flight feathers

Distinguishing from Similar Species

The extremely short tail feathers relative to overall wing and flight feather size are essentially unique among African raptors, and combined with the chestnut back feathers and black body, make this species distinguishable from other savanna eagles and buzzards.

Adults show black body plumage, a chestnut back, and pale underwing flight feathers; females show slightly broader pale trailing edges to the wing than males. Juveniles are largely brown overall with a longer tail than adults, achieving the short-tailed, chestnut-backed adult plumage only after several years.

Molt is gradual, and the marked change in tail proportions from juvenile to adult reflects a multi-year maturation process.

Found across sub-Saharan African savanna and open woodland, generally avoiding dense forest and very arid desert.

The species is largely resident, though immature birds may wander over large distances before settling into a breeding territory.

Spends much of the day in low, fast flight over savanna searching for carrion, snakes, and small vertebrates, with a rocking, tilting flight style that gives the species its name. Covers very large daily distances.

Builds a stick nest in the canopy of a savanna tree. Generally quiet apart from occasional barking calls.

A short, stubby black tail feather paired with a chestnut back feather and pale grayish flight feather, found on African savanna, is a strong indicator of this species.