Mystery BIRD of Central Africa.
Etymology: Possibly Lingala (Bantu) word.
Physical description: Eagle-like. Dark brown
to black above, lighter below. Hooked beak.
Wingspan, 9–13 feet. Large, powerful talons.
Behavior: Eats monkeys and small goats.
Nests at the top of tall jungle trees.
Habitat: Forests.
Distribution: Republic of the Congo.
Significant sighting: Congo political commissioner
André Mouelle saw this giant raptor once.
Present status: Formerly more common.
Possible explanations:
(1) The Martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus),
Africa’s largest eagle, is close in coloration,
but its wingspan is just under 7 feet. It
prefers open habitats, not forests, and has not
been reported in the Republic of the Congo.
(2) The Crowned hawk eagle (Stephanoaetus
coronatus) only has a wingspan of just over 5
feet, but it does prefer forests and dense
woodland. It is scarce but found throughout
the Congo region.