BIRDING  

A very powerful eagle, the Stephanoaetus coronatus, hunts mainly monkeys and small forest antelope. It kills by severing the vertebrae of its prey or will drive its very long dewclaw through the back of the monkey's skull. This Crowned Eagle prefers forest areas, but in the Amazulu Private Game Reserve it is also found in riverine forest. The reserve has three breeding pairs.

- guest report -
My wife is a passionate ornithologist and was over the moon when she heard that the reserve is home to over 420 bird species. She bombarded our guide with questions and to her delight he knew all the answers. “Did you hear that high pitched noise, like a blacksmith hitting metal with his hammer?” she wanted to know. “It's a Blacksmith Lapwing nesting on the ground, near the water. It will viciously defend its nest against anything that comes close.” How? she continued.“By ‘bomming' continuously until the threat backs off!” he explained further. We enjoyed listening to the sounds of the bush and I ended up sharing her passion...