The new female black eagle that roams the skies of Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens has officially been named Makatsa, which means, an unexpected surprise.
The announcement was made on 21 August on the Black Eagle Project Roodekrans’ Facebook page, where a vote for the name had been on the go since 17 August.
Many questions have arisen since Makatsa’s arrival. Project member, Ernest Porter, released questions and answers to clarify some of the changes and what to expect of the new black eagle couple.
Q: What would be the tell-tale signs that the female eagle (Emoyeni) has become infertile?
A: After consultation with various raptor experts it would probably start with addled (infertile) eggs and there would be a few seasons of this.
Q: Could the male have ousted the female from the territory?
A: Very unlikely. If ousted, it would have been the work of the intruder (Makatsa).
Q: Do you think the previous female has died?
A: The project has no way of telling. She may just have been ousted from the immediate territory.
Q: How old is the new female?
A: Difficult to put an exact age to it, but it appears to be about two or three years, or maybe even between two and four.
Q: Can you accurately tell the age of an immature bird by the colour of its feathers?
A: Not really, but the full black feathers should be there after three to four years.
Q: At what age would a young bird be able to breed?
A: Possibly at two or three years old, but it would take longer for it to develop into a prolific breeder.
Q: Do you think this new pair would lay eggs and raise a chick immediately?
A: Unlikely, as a pair-bond would need to be developed, first.
Q: Would the male copulate with its own offspring?
A: This is quite possible, yes.
Emoyeni merchandise, such as mugs, T-shirts and tote bags can be bought from the Eagle Eye Store.
The project is currently looking for assistants to help with the monitoring of the eagles over weekends and public holidays. Anyone who lives close to the Walter Sisulu Gardens or is interested, is encouraged to go to the Black Eagle Project Roodekrans’ website and fill in the monitor assistance form, which needs to be e-mailed to: info@blackeagles.co.za
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Hellos and goodbyes for black eagle breeding pair
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