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african crowned eagle really that powerful? (1 Viewer)

scuba0095

Well-known member
everywhere i read on them, they always seem to mention how much more powerful the crowned eagle is then other eagles

do you all actually agree that the crowned eagle has stronger tallons then both the monkey eating and golden eagle? It is so much smaller

my book on raptors makes it seem as though crowned eagles have supernatural power

to me goldens were impressive enough for a 10 pound bird i cant imagine something being more powerful in the sky!
 
Harpy Eagle is supposed to be the most powerful and strongest Eagle in the world.African Martial Eagle is very powerful and strong as well
 
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Crowned Eagle often prey on large antelopes of 10-12Kg and 18 to 20kg more than four to six times as heavy as a eagle's weight.Prey is dismembered on the ground and pieces of prey cached in trees for eating several days later.Harpy Eagle can carry heavier prey than Crowned Eagle.
 
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Crowned Eagle often prey on large antelopes of 10-12Kg and 18 to 20kg more than four to six times as heavy as a eagle's weight.Prey is dismembered on the ground and pieces of prey cached in trees for eating several days later.Harpy Eagle can carry heavier prey than Crowned Eagle.

I don't know where you got your info from, but I would be very surprised if a Crowned Eagle could take anything that heavy. They take mainly monkeys, but will take Hyrax and small antelope such as Duiker.
 
I don't know where you got your info from, but I would be very surprised if a Crowned Eagle could take anything that heavy. They take mainly monkeys, but will take Hyrax and small antelope such as Duiker.
The info is in the Raptors of the World Field guide i did'nt actually say that Crowned Eagles can can carry weights of 10-12 , 18 -20 kg, big prey items like antelopes are dismembered on the ground and piecies of them are taken away to the nest and cached in trees for later.
 
Martial Eagle can take prey up to 5 kg,if prey is to heavy to left is is eaten on the ground.One Martial Eagle was recorded killing a 37 kg Duiker .
 
And there's me thinking you had experience of these birds Martin. 8-P


my book states that a martial eagle is no where near as powerful as a crowned eagle even though it is a bigger bird

To be honest I don't think there is much in it between Martial and Crowned Eagle, they both take prey of roughly the same size.

I think that both Harpy and Philippines Eagle are more powerful birds.
 
And there's me thinking you had experience of these birds Martin. 8-P




To be honest I don't think there is much in it between Martial and Crowned Eagle, they both take prey of roughly the same size.

I think that both Harpy and Philippines Eagle are more powerful birds.

Yes i have had some experience with these birds i knew a falconer who kept Martial and Crowned Eagle.Certainly would 'nt get on the wrong side of them very dangerous birds.I can remember watching a programme once about a pair of Crowned Eagle nesting near a village they often preyed on the local dogs and goats.
 
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Perhaps they mean of the african tribe of eagles only. I've seen and photographed Crowned and they are awesome birds.
 
Perhaps they mean of the african tribe of eagles only. I've seen and photographed Crowned and they are awesome birds.
Love to see Crowned Eagle in the wild, one of my ambitions is to see all the big eagle species in the wild especially Steller's Sea Eagle.
 
what makes the Philippines Eagle so powerful? The prey they take seems to be even smaller then a crowned eagles prey, actually the golden eagle seems to take larger prey then the philippines eagle, which is why I dont understand why people think it is so powerful
 
the monkey eating eagle is a very large powerful & fearsome looking bird, which is why I assume so many people get the false impression that it is one of the most powerful raptors
 
the monkey eating eagle is a very large powerful & fearsome looking bird, which is why I assume so many people get the false impression that it is one of the most powerful raptors
It is to do with their huge powerful feet and talons,which they use to kill their prey with they have a very powerful grip.More powerful than a Golden Eagle.The Monkey Eating Eagles main prey is Colugos or flying Lemurs,also take pigs and dogs near villages.
 
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In august of last year I visited a Crowned Eagle nest in Sokoke forest in Kenya (the birds had completed their breeding cycle & were not in residence!). The nest was huge & the ground littered with a macabre collection of monkey tails (Blue Monkey) & various bones including a sizeable antelope skull which was thought to be of a Common Duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia) -adults are 11-25kg! The point is an 11+ kg antelope was captured & air-lifted in. This is one powerful eagle.

Martial Eagles are primarily savanna raptors -in places like the Mara GR which is crawling with wildlife watchers there is a reasonable chance of someone witnessing the taking of 'extreme' mammal prey -such large prey is then eaten on site. The chances of a Crowned Eagle being observed taking extreme prey is remote in the least but I have little doubt they are more than capable. We watched one cross a forest track creating extreme agitation (sheer terror!) in a group of Yellow Baboons.

Close encounters with Martial Eagles are impressive but when a Crowned Eagle flies over there is a thrill of apprehension -the stirring of a deep-rooted genetic memory ........ & of course a compelling need to change one's underpants!!! ;)
 
The info is in the Raptors of the World Field guide i did'nt actually say that Crowned Eagles can can carry weights of 10-12 , 18 -20 kg, big prey items like antelopes are dismembered on the ground and piecies of them are taken away to the nest and cached in trees for later.

This is correct. Another example: Golden Eagles sometimes kill adult chamois (for example by pushing them over the ridge on a mountain slope). They can not carry the mammal away but are still able to kill it.

Markus
 
everywhere i read on them, they always seem to mention how much more powerful the crowned eagle is then other eagles

do you all actually agree that the crowned eagle has stronger tallons then both the monkey eating and golden eagle? It is so much smaller

my book on raptors makes it seem as though crowned eagles have supernatural power

to me goldens were impressive enough for a 10 pound bird i cant imagine something being more powerful in the sky!

the Crowned Eagle has a smaller wingspan than a Golden Eagle. But it is about the same size (length). One reason for the shorter (but broader) wings is the fact that the Crowned Eagle is a forest raptor where shorter wings are better (see Northern Goshawk).

It's hard to say if the Crowned or the Golden Eagle (or Martial Eagle) is more powerful. All are strong eagles with the femals being larger and stronger.

Markus
 
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This is correct. Another example: Golden Eagles sometimes kill adult chamois (for example by pushing them over the ridge on a mountain slope). They can not carry the mammal away but are still able to kill it.

Markus
Golden Eagles in Scotland have also been known to go after Red Deer and push them off a ridge.This was actually filmed on one of Bill Oddie's Nature programmes.A Golden Eagle flying at a Red Deer Stag in the highlands of Scotland.
 
And there's me thinking you had experience of these birds Martin. 8-P




To be honest I don't think there is much in it between Martial and Crowned Eagle, they both take prey of roughly the same size.

I think that both Harpy and Philippines Eagle are more powerful birds.
Crowned eagles ate my fav raptor so I enter here happy to debate...
First of all martial eagle are bigger and heavier than crowned, but crowned are way more powerfull,
And harpy and filipino,,,,no way they are just bigger.
Crowned is the most rapacois and bold eagle, this species kill the largest prey among all the eagles despite it's smaller frame...
Actually people used to think that there is 3 species of eagles who currently hunt monkeys in this world. tHE CROWNED, THE HARPY AND FILIPINO EAGLE
That is tottaly wrong, acconding to new update studies only the crowned eagle is a proven monkey hunter.
Harpys diet is 70% or more, composed by sloths wich are tottaly harmless prey(there is a documented study that certifies that in Venezuelean HARPY NESTS 100%of prey bones were sloths remains.
On the other part filipino, s prey is mainly formed from a small gloding mammal named Colugo.
Both harpy and filipino occasiopnally hunt monkeys, but none of them as a rule.
Needles to say that a monkey is the most difficult and dangerous prey to be taken by any raptor species.
 
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