Mara Bird Spotter
The Masai Mara is one of Africa's great birding theatres — over 500 recorded species. Here are the ones worth turning the vehicle around for, and how to find them.
© Corné Rautenbach · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist
Martial Eagle
Polemaetus bellicosus- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Family
- Accipitridae
- Group
- Eagles
Zone
Mara Triangle
Hunts
Mammals · Lizards
Spot from
Open game drive
Best time
Jun – Sep
In the Mara
Uncommon
Photography
Moderate
Africa's most powerful eagle — it brings down impala, monitor lizards, and young baboons without breaking a thermal. Despite the name, the crest is rarely raised. What you'll notice first is the effortless circling on broad dark wings, those amber eyes scanning 4,000 hectares from a single updraft above the escarpment.
Based on recent eBird & iNaturalist sightings near the Maasai Mara
Every bird, ranked by how hard it is to find
Loading…Spotter's Corner
Sightings from travellers and guides in the Mara. Share what you found — every entry is reviewed before it appears.
Priya R.
"The Saddle-billed Stork pair near the crossing point stood dead still for twenty minutes, then both struck at once. Our guide said he sees it maybe twice a season."
James K.
Nairobi wildlife photographer · Mara Triangle · Jun 2025
"Two hours watching a Martial Eagle pair circling the escarpment at first light. One stooped on a hare and missed — still the best 120 seconds of the trip."