Mystery bird: long-crested eagle, Lophaetus occipitalis

Long-crested eagle, Lophaetus occipitalis , photographed along the highway to Tanga , eastern Tanzania, Africa. Image: Dan Logen , 11 January 2010 [ velociraptorize ]. Nikon D300, 600 mm lens ISO 800, f/5, 1/640 sec. Question: This African mystery bird is very distinctive and is fairly common throughout most of the southern portions of this continent. It is often seen at the roadsides, usually perched on a convenient fence or telegraph pole. Any guesses as to why this species is so common alongside roadways? Response: This is a long-crested eagle, Lophaetus occipitalis . These medium-sized raptors are common throughout much of the African lowlands, south of the Sahara Desert, and are frequently seen perched on a fence or telegraph pole alongside roadways. These birds prey upon small reptiles and mammals, particularly rodents and shrews, which they drop down onto from an exposed perch. Long-crested eagles do not hunt on the wing, nor do they perform an aerial ballet when courting. However, they do make a lot of noise when courting (and at most other times as well). If you have bird images, video or mp3 files that you'd like to share with a large and appreciate audience, feel free to email them to me for consideration.