
Booted Eagle
The booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus, also classified as Aquila pennata) is a medium-sized mostly migratory bird of prey with a wide distribution in the Palearctic and southern Asia, wintering in the tropics of Africa and Asia, with a small, disjunct breeding population in south-western Africa.
Species insights
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.
Curve from 949 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.
Western Cape and beyond
Provinces where Booted Eagle is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
949 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Booted Eagle
Stays that give back
Across South Africa
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Booted Eagle recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Booted Eagle recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Booted Eagle recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Booted Eagle recorded here
Booted Eagle recorded here
Booted Eagle recorded here
Booted Eagle recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Booted Eagle recorded here
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Booted Eagle recorded here
Sandstone amphitheatres and cool mountain air
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Booted Eagle
Hosts have recorded the Booted Eagle at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Anysberg Nature Reserve and Gamkaberg Nature 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
- Western CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Western Cape
- Eastern CapeGuided drivesMalaria-freeStays in Eastern Cape
- Northern CapeSelf-driveMalaria-freeStays in Northern Cape
- LimpopoSelf-driveStays in Limpopo
Ways to look
Species
Hieraaetus pennatus
Records
949
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Booted Eagle on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Booted Eagle in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Booted Eagle at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Anysberg Nature Reserve, Gamkaberg Nature Reserve, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve and Rocherpan Nature Reserve and other reserves. 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 Booted Eagle in South Africa?
The Booted Eagle is most recorded in Western Cape (70% of records), Northern Cape (13% of records), Eastern Cape (11% of records), based on 949 iNaturalist observations. 72 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Booted Eagle on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Booted Eagle?
The Booted 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. Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Anysberg Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Gamkaberg Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park: Aug-Oct, flowers, Mar-May. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the Booted Eagle?
The booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus, also classified as Aquila pennata) is a medium-sized mostly migratory bird of prey with a wide distribution in the Palearctic and southern Asia, wintering in the tropics of Africa and Asia, with a small, disjunct breeding population in south-western Africa. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae.

































