Madagascar Fish-Eagle

The Madagascar fish-eagle is a medium-sized sea eagle with a pale brown head, a dark brown body and wings, and a white tail. The bill is blackish with a paler base and the legs are pale grey. Females are slightly larger than males. Its closest relative is the African fish eagle, and the two form a pair of species in which one has a tan head and the other a white one. All members of the group have at least a partly white tail, even as juveniles (Wikipedia, general species account).

It lives along the coast, lakes and rivers of the north-west and takes fish. The species is known for polyandrous breeding, in which one female mates with two males, and a study at Tsimembo-Manambolomaty found that polyandrous groups raised more young than ordinary pairs (Razafimanjato et al. 2018, as reported on Wikipedia). It is among the rarest birds of prey in the world, with estimates of about 40 breeding pairs in older counts and about 120 pairs (240 adults) in surveys in 2005–2006.

The main threats to its breeding habitat are deforestation, soil erosion and the conversion of wetlands to rice paddies. It also competes with people for fish. On this guide it is a target species of Ankarafantsika.