Black-chested Snake Eagle

Circaetus pectoralis Smith, A, 1829

Black-chested Snake Eagle, Circaetus pectoralis, is an African bird of prey in the Accipitridae family, breeding from eastern Sudan and Ethiopia south to South Africa. It is a snake eagle with a dark brown-black head and chest, which set it apart from similar species. Its lower underparts are white, and in flight the white underwings show three narrow black bars at the tips. The sexes look alike, though the female is larger. It has a bright yellow-orange eye, a horn-coloured bill and pale grey legs.

Order

Accipitriformes

Family

Accipitridae — Kites, Hawks, Eagles

Breeding range

Africa: e Sudan and Ethiopia to South Africa