COMPARISON OF THE DIET OF CROWNED EAGLES IN THE SAVANNA AND FOREST BIOMES OF SOUTH-EASTERN SOUTH-AFRICA

The remains of 1804 prey individuals, representing 41 taxa, were colle cted from 34 crowned eagle Stephanoaetus coronatus breeding sites in t he Forest and Savanna Biomes of south-eastern South Africa. The prey i ndividuals were identified and classified as adult, sub-adult or juven ile, and prey diversity indices were calculated for each biome. The di et of the eagle, analysed according to number of prey items, was compa red in the two biomes. In each biome mammals contributed 96%, and bird s 4%, to the total prey. Procaviids and wild bovids were the dominant prey taxa in both biomes. Whereas procaviids contributed 25% to the Fo rest Biome prey and 53% to the Savanna Biome prey, wild bovids contrib uted 51% to the Forest Biome prey but only 25% to the Savanna Biome pr ey. Although the Savanna Biome had 35 recorded prey taxa and the Fores t Biome only 21, a higher diversity index was calculated for the latte r biome. Mainly adults of the smaller prey types and juveniles of the larger prey types were predated by the eagles. The differences in prey choice between the two biomes are discussed.