One of the most masterful displays of the animal kingdom is the hunting swoop of the African fish eagle. In this Faber Castell coloured pencil drawing I have endeavored to capture the swift gliding approach of a female African fish eagle, its eyes intently concentrating on its prey.  As the raptor closes in on a surfacing Tiger fish, the eagle’s legs come forward outstretched with feet and talons open.  The alula winglets are shown in a typical slightly forward and upward position to create a tiny vortex over the wing to prevent stalling as the bird brakes to accurately position itself for the strike.  Once the fish is securely grasped in its claws, the legs are forced down and back against the water’s surface to propel the bird forward with impetus as the wings begin powerfully flapping to give thrust and lift for the added weight of the prey.

In this drawing, the African fish eagle when bringing its feet forward has clipped the water’s surface with its offside back talon, causing a fine spray curtain and adding more movement to the African river scene.