The Martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) is a large eagle native to sub-Saharan Africa and can be found in over 40 countries in this region including Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

This majestic eagle normally inhabits open grasslands that are scattered with large trees. It can also be found in scrubby, arid areas, as well as wooded savannas, or forests. The Martial Eagle is a master soarer and can spend a lot of time flying through the sky at great heights. 

Like many raptors, these eagles are top predators – they hunt other animals for food, but no animals hunt them on a regular basis, for most top predators their only threat is humans. Martial Eagle, play an important role in nature by helping to control populations of prey animals and maintain a balance in the ecosystems where they live.

The adult's plumage consists of dark brown coloration on the upperparts, head and upper chest, with an occasional slightly lighter edging to these feathers. The dark feathers can appear greyish, blackish or even plum coloured depending on lighting conditions. The body underparts are feathered white with sparse but conspicuous blackish-brown spotting. The eyes of mature Martial eagles are rich yellow, while the cere and large feet pale greenish and the talons black. Juveniles are conspicuously distinct in plumage with a pearly grey colour above with considerable white edging, as well as a speckled grey effect on the crown and hind neck. The entire underside is mostly white. The wing coverts of juveniles are mottled grey-brown and white, with patterns of bars on primaries and tail that are similar to adult but lighter and greyer. The eyes of the juveniles are dark brown.

Throughout much of this beautiful eagle's range, it is facing multiple and serious threats. Perhaps one of the biggest threats it faces is habitat loss. Many of the large trees they use for nesting are being cut and their habitat is being converted to agricultural fields. Even where habitat remains, these beautiful eagles are also being poisoned! Farmers and landowners will often lace a dead cow, sheep or other bait with highly toxic poisons in an attempt to kill jackals, lions, hyenas and other predators that they fear might prey on their livestock. Because these eagles scavenge on carcasses, many of them die after ingesting these poisons. Many farmers shoot these eagles because they fear the eagles will kill their livestock. Other threats include electrocution on power poles and collisions with power lines. Unfortunately, all of these threats put the Martial Eagle's population at great risk to such an extent it is now classified as Endangered by Birdlife International.