White-Bellied Sea-Eagle (Icthyophaga leucogaster) lives in tropical coastal across Southeast Asia, Australia.
Fascinating facts about the White-Bellied Sea-Eagle
- The female white-bellied sea eagle can grow to a length of 90 cm, stretch a wingspan of up to 2.2 m and weigh about 4.5 kg, making her the larger sex. Males are noticeably smaller, measuring 66-80 cm in length and weighing between 1.8 and 3 kg. The species' overall wingspan ranges from 1.78 to 2.2 m, so even the smaller males have a substantial wing area for soaring over water.
- Molecular work shows that the white-bellied sea eagle and its close relative Sanford's sea eagle differ by only 0.3 % in their cytochrome b gene, a remarkably small genetic gap. This tiny divergence suggests the two lineages split roughly 150 000 years ago, a time frame supported by a 1996 study that sequenced their mitochondrial DNA.
- Young white-bellied sea eagles are born with predominantly brown feathers, a colour that can dominate their first year. Over the following years the brown plumage is slowly overlaid with white, a process that continues until the bird reaches five or six years of age when the adult white head, breast and under-wing coverts are complete.
- Some pairs reuse the same nest for decades; one site at Mallacoota remained occupied for over fifty years. Their monogamous bonds can therefore anchor a single location across multiple generations.
- White-bellied sea eagle juveniles can travel thousands of kilometres; a bird raised in Cowell, South Australia was later found 3,000 km away on Fraser Island. Such movements illustrate their strong nomadic tendencies.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSoutheast Asia, Australia
HabitatTropical coastal
DietFish and carrion
About the White-Bellied Sea-Eagle
As the White-Bellied Sea-Eagle soars over the coastal landscape, its piercing gaze scans the waves below, searching for the telltale glint of fish scales that will signal its next meal. With wings outstretched, it rides the thermal currents with effortless ease, its snowy belly glistening in the sunlight as it banks and turns with a majestic fluidity. In this realm of sea and sky, the White-Bellied Sea-Eagle reigns supreme, a master of the marine frontier, its very presence a testament to the awe-inspiring beauty of the natural world.
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