Birds of Singapore
by the Bird Society of Singapore
Icthyophaga ichthyaetus
Family: Kites, Old World Vultures, Eagles, and Hawks · Status: Common resident · Size: 69–74 cm · Conservation: Near Threatened
Resident from the Indian subcontinent through the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and Java.
Adults have a grey head and brown breast with white vent and undertail-coverts, and dark brown upperparts and underwings. Subadults and juveniles have buffish-brown underparts and underwing-coverts, barred flight feathers, with contrasting white vent and undertail-coverts; the barred flight feathers distinguish it from subadult White-bellied Sea Eagle. Told apart from the extirpated and highly unexpected Lesser Fish Eagl e(a species that still resides in Johor that is reliant on pristine forest and big streams) by its bigger size and white tail base.
Woodland adjacent to waterbodies, including reservoirs, ponds and even canals.
Diet primarily consists of fish and is frequently observed hunting at various waterbodies across Singapore.