The AFRICAN SCREAMING SEA EAGLE (_Haliaëtos vocifer_) is pure white upon
the head, throat, nape, and upper part of the breast and tail; the mantle
and quills are blueish black; the edges of the wings, and underside of
the latter, are of a rich brownish red; the eye-rings, cere, and feet,
light yellow; and the beak blueish black. In the young birds the plumage
on the upper part of the head is blackish brown, mingled with white; the
nape and back of the head, white, intermixed with brownish grey. The
upper portion of the shoulders, and lower part of the back, are white,
the feathers tipped with brownish-black spots; the front of the throat
and upper part of the breast are white, streaked with brown; the rest
of the lower portions of the body being entirely white; the quills are
brown, and white at the root; the tail-feathers white, spotted and tipped
with brown. The plumage is moulted many times before the bird appears in
its full beauty. This species is about twenty-eight inches long; the wing
measures nineteen and the tail six inches.
[Illustration: THE WHITE-HEADED SEA EAGLE (_Haliaëtos leucocephalus_).]
The Screaming Sea Eagle was first seen by Le Vaillant in South Africa,
afterwards by other travellers in Western Africa, and by ourselves in the
interior of that continent, where it appeared to live exclusively upon
the banks of the Blue and White Nile. Le Vaillant, on the contrary, found
it on the sea-coast, and only exceptionally near large rivers. It is,
however, in the primitive forests of Soudan that these beautiful birds
are seen in their full glory, and, as they perch side by side among the
foliage, afford a spectacle that cannot fail to rivet the traveller's
attention, even should he have been long accustomed to the wonders of
the African continent. In its life and habits this species resembles its
congeners. It lives in pairs, each couple occupying a certain district,
usually about half a mile in extent; over this they range from early
morning till noon, when they rise into the air and entertain themselves
with a variety of evolutions, meanwhile uttering yells that can be heard
at a considerable distance. During the afternoon and evening, they sit
side by side upon the branch of a tree occasionally bowing their heads,
spreading their tails like a fan over the extremities of their wings,
and screaming loudly should any strange object appear. Each couple has a
favourite resting-place, to which they resort with unfailing regularity.
At night they prefer to seek shelter in the inmost recesses of their
leafy retreats. We found these birds so entirely without fear at the
approach of man as to allow a shot to whistle past them without any
indication of alarm: nevertheless, Le Vaillant speaks of them as shy
and cautious. The food of the Screaming Sea Eagle consists of fish and
carrion, the former is obtained by swooping upon it from a considerable
height; the prey is generally carried to the water's edge, and there
devoured. We were on one occasion much amused by observing the manner
in which a little bird (_Hyas Ægypticus_) assisted in the demolition
of a large fish that had been safely landed and stripped of its flesh
by one of these Sea Eagles. The small but courageous pilferer ran with
the rapidity of lightning to the spot, seized upon a few scraps, and
hurried away to devour them at a distance, repeating this operation till
its hunger was appeased, the Eagle meanwhile turning its head from time
to time to observe its manœuvres, but without making any attempt to
interfere with its operations. Towards other birds of prey the Sea Eagle
is far from exhibiting this amiable disposition, and usually succeeds in
overcoming even the Vulture, should the latter interfere with its prey.
In Soudan, the period of incubation commences with the rainy season.
The eyrie is built upon high trees, or pieces of rock, and is formed of
branches lined with some warm and elastic material; the brood consists of
two or three purely white eggs. When caged these birds soon become very
tame, and accustom themselves so easily to our climate, that they may be
allowed to fly about in the open air.
[Illustration: THE AFRICAN SCREAMING SEA EAGLE (_Haliaëtos vocifer_).]