watering holes. Although often in fairly dry savanna habitats, in Kenya it is reportedly absent from areas where the rainfall is under annually, probably because it limits the growth of the leafy trees that they require for nesting. In Ethiopia, it tends to be associated with well-wooded areas. Habitat tends to be most closely studied in southern Africa. It is mostly common found in broad-leaved woodland in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. In Namibia it is often found over tall woodland near drainage lines, and over ephemeral rivers in north-eastern Namibia and within the more arid Etosha National Park. In Zambia, it is found in a variety of habitats from woodlands to open plains but avoids the most densely wooded areas. Reportedly in Malawi, it is often associated with Forest–savanna mosaics but is sometimes regularly seen over cultivated areas and even may be seen flying over large cities. To the contrary, in Mozambique it is said to avoid areas with a dense human population. The species can occur from sea level up to , but not normally a mountain-dwelling species and mainly occurs below . This is supported in Zimbabwe, where the bateleur is relatively common but appears to largely avoid the extensive amount of hilly and rugged areas present in that country. Behaviour This bateleur is unusually conspicuous due to its propensity for gliding flights over favorable habitats in much of Africa. The bird spends a considerable amount of time on the wing, particularly in low-altitude flights. Due to the conspicuous behaviour and colorful plumage, the bateleur is frequently described in superlatives such as "one of the most beautiful and spectacular things that flies". This species tends to take off with unusually fast, shallow beats for a bird of this relative large size. After take-off, the bateleur sails at a mean speed of about . They often rock from side-to-side with the wings held in a strong dihedral with very limiting flapping, vaguely recalling the flight of the American turkey vulture (Cathares aura) although the flight is generally more forceful, fast and acrobatic than that species and at times can be evocative of a huge falcon. Although the species tends to fly fairly low, bateleurs can soar and circle quite high as well. Engaged in its aforementioned dihedral flight it is often cants continuously from side-to-side, likely the origin of which it was given its common name (loosely "tumbler",