[3] Examples of names include: Vis Arend in Afrikaans, nkwazi in Chewa, aigle pêcheur in French,[4] hungwe in Shona, inkwazi in isiZulu, and ntšhu in Northern Sotho.

The adult is very distinctive in appearance with a mostly brown body with a white head like the bald eagle and large, powerful, black wings.

The head, breast, and tail of African fish eagles are snow white, except for the featherless face, which is yellow.

The feet have rough soles and are equipped with powerful talons to enable the eagle to grasp slippery aquatic prey.

[10] This is a generalist species, requiring only open water with sufficient prey and a good perch, as evidenced by the number of habitat types in which this species may be found, including grasslands, swamps, marshes, tropical rainforests, fynbos, and even desert-bordering coastlines,[11] such as that of Namibia.

If it catches a fish too heavy to allow the eagle to sustain flight, it will drop into the water and paddle to the nearest shore with its wings.

[15] Mullets and catfish (Clarias) are common prey, though various fish such as cichlids, tilapias (Oreochromis), lungfish (Protopterus), and characins can be also taken.

[16][17][18] Even African Tigerfish (Hydrocynus vittatus) can be preyed upon by fish eagles, especially while predating barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) in flight.

[19] It also feeds on birds, especially waterbirds such as ducks, cormorants, grebes, darters, hatchlings of herons and egrets,[18] and greater and lesser flamingos.

Other prey include small turtles and terrapins, baby crocodiles, Nile monitors, skinks, frogs, insects (especially termites),[20] and carrion.

The bird also figures in the coats of arms of Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and South Sudan, and on the Zambian flag.

[citation needed] Mummified examples of the African fish eagle have been found at the Necropolis at Elkab.