African Birds of Prey

Wildlife cameraman and bird lover Hamza Yassin leads an epic, emotionally charged expedition across the landscapes of Kenya.

With his trademark curiosity, passion and camera skills, Hamza embarks on an unforgettable journey to track down, film and understand some of Africa’s most spectacular – and most critically threatened – birds of prey.

From the iconic Maasai Mara to the staggering Rift Valley and mystical, ancient cloud forests, Hamza goes on a journey of discovery to learn more about these apex African hunters and finds out why they are the key to keeping the fragile ecosystems they rely upon healthy.

Kenya is a global stronghold for raptors, home to over 100 species. However, their world is changing at an unprecedented pace. To witness these magnificent creatures first hand, Hamza travels over 6,000 kilometres across the country, all the way to its coast on the Indian Ocean. The journey begins on the vast, grassy plains of the Maasai Mara, finding and filming eagles and vultures. He moves on via Lake Naivasha, Soysambu and beyond to dense coastal forests, where he spends days tracking Africa’s smallest owl. He scales the dramatic escarpments of the Great Rift Valley to film vultures at eye level and ends his journey on his hardest mission yet – travelling to a remote and uncharted highland region to catch a glimpse of the elusive and powerful African Crowned Eagle. Each location brings its own distinct environment, climate and specialised avian cast.

As Hamza travels, he witnesses a darker reality: Africa's raptors are in crisis. He documents the growing, interconnected threats they face daily from rapid habitat loss, both accidental and deliberate poisoning, persecution and the invisible dangers of expanding modern infrastructure, such as power lines and fences.

Along the way, he meets the frontline heroes of African conservation – the dedicated scientists, rangers and indigenous local communities working tirelessly to protect these birds. Hamza visits a raptor rescue centre and has a moving face-to-face encounter with a rescued and injured bird – motivating him to dedicate the final, most demanding leg of his journey to their wild counterparts.

At a time when biodiversity hangs in the balance, this documentary reveals why protecting these master innovators of the air has never been more important.