What is the conservation status of the Tawny Eagle?

The Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

What is the Tawny Eagle?

The tawny eagle (Aquila rapax) is a large, long-lived bird of prey. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Its heavily feathered legs illustrate it to be a member of the subfamily Aquilinae, also known as “booted eagles”.

Go Birding

Tawny Eagle

Aquila rapaxVulnerable

The tawny eagle (Aquila rapax) is a large, long-lived bird of prey.

from Wikipedia

Showing stays that recordTawny Eagle40+ stays list it on site or nearby

Species insights▾

When to visit

Recorded year-round

Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.

Best monthsAny month

Records2,332 records

Curve from 2,332 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.

Where you'll find it

Mpumalanga and beyond

Provinces where Tawny Eagle is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.

2,323 records, iNaturalist

Parks where hosts record the Tawny Eagle

Places to stay

40+ results in South Africa

Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge

Hluhluwe

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 285 birds recorded · African wild dog, Spotted hyena · Game drives

Price on request

Singita Sweni Lodge

Mpumalanga

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 53 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Singita Lebombo Lodge

Mpumalanga

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 50 birds recorded · Lion, Leopard

Price on request

Plains Camp @ Rhino Walking Safaris

Mpumalanga

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Aardvark, African elephant · Guided walk, Game drives

Supports BirdLife South Africa

Price on request

Jaci's Private Lodge

Madikwe

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 71 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Game drives, Photography

Supports Jaci's Lodge Trust

From R 31,500 per night

&Beyond Tengile River Lodge

Bushbuckridge

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 37 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Wildlife viewing

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 93,000 per night

Mdluli Safari Lodge

Hazyview

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Game drives

From R 10,670 per night

Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge

Hazyview

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Scenic drives

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,400 per night

Dulini Moya

Bushbuckridge

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 38 birds recorded · Leadwood, Leopard · Safaris, Scenic drives

From R 28,990 per night

Kruger Untamed - Satara Plains Camp

Marloth Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Impala, Spotted hyena · Safaris, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 11,980 per night

Kruger Untamed - Tshokwane River Camp

Marloth Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 224 birds recorded · Leopard, Lion · Safaris, Guided walk

Supports Endangered Wildlife Trust

From R 17,500 per night

Bonamanzi Game Reserve

Hluhluwe

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Savanna biome · 53 birds recorded · Leopard, Giraffe · Game drives, Boat trip

Supports BirdLife South Africa

From R 240 per night

Orpen Rest Camp

Kruger National Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 56 birds recorded · Delagoa thorn, Knobthorn · Guided walk, Game drives

From R 1,815 per night

Grootkolk Wilderness Camp

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 97 birds recorded · Gemsbok, Springbok

From R 2,634 per night

Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp

Kruger National Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 45 birds recorded · Cheetah, Delagoa thorn · Guided walk, Game drives

From R 390 per night

Bitterpan Wilderness Camp

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 97 birds recorded · Gemsbok, Camel thorn · Stargazing, 4x4 trails

From R 2,634 per night

Tsendze Rustic Camp Site

Kruger National Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 28 birds recorded · Flaky bark thorn, Leadwood

From R 379 per night

Satara Rest Camp

Kruger National Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 52 birds recorded · Blue wildebeest, Cheetah · Photography

From R 331 per night

Olifants Rest Camp

Kruger National Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 39 birds recorded · Knobthorn, Leadwood · Game drives

From R 1,445 per night

Maroela Satellite Camp

Kruger National Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 56 birds recorded · Delagoa thorn, Knobthorn

From R 390 per night

Berg-en-Dal Rest Camp

Kruger National Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 41 birds recorded · Giraffe, Knobthorn

From R 390 per night

Roodewal Bush Lodge

Kruger National Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 39 birds recorded · Knobthorn, Leadwood · Guided walk, Game drives

From R 10,966 per night

Malelane Satellite Camp

Kruger National Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 41 birds recorded · Giraffe, Impala

From R 390 per night

Kieliekrankie Wilderness Camp

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Tawny Eagle recorded here · Savanna biome · 97 birds recorded · Camel thorn, Gemsbok · Stargazing

From R 2,634 per night

Plan a trip around these stays

Planning a trip

When and where to find the Tawny Eagle

Hosts have recorded the Tawny Eagle at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park and Sabi Sand Game Reserve.

Best hours of the day

Late morning to mid-afternoon. Raptors soar once the sun raises thermals.
Early morning. Often perched while the air warms.

Where to base yourself

Ways to look

Drive yourself

Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.

Where hosts record it

Kruger Kgalagadi

Guided drives from a lodge

A guide who knows where to look, with off-road and night drives in the private reserves.

Where hosts record it

Sabi Sand

IUCN Red List

Vulnerable

Species

Aquila rapax

Records

2 323

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

A record means a host has seen the Tawny Eagle on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.

Which parks and reserves are best for the Tawny Eagle in South Africa?

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Tawny Eagle at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Sabi Sand Game Reserve and Madikwe Game Reserve. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.

Where can you see the Tawny Eagle in South Africa?

The Tawny Eagle is most recorded in Mpumalanga (51% of records), Limpopo (28% of records), Northern Cape (13% of records), based on 2 323 iNaturalist observations. 42 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Tawny Eagle on site or nearby.

When is the best time to see the Tawny Eagle?

The Tawny Eagle is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May; Sabi Sand Game Reserve: year-round, dry season May-Sep optimal; Madikwe Game Reserve: Apr-Sep. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.