White-bellied Sea Eagle

Icthyophaga leucogaster

Family: Kites, Old World Vultures, Eagles, and Hawks · Status: Very common resident · Size: 70–85 cm · Conservation: Least Concern

Range

Resident along coastal regions from the Indian subcontinent through Southeast Asia to Australia, including the Andaman Islands, the Sunda Islands, Philippines, Wallacea, and New Guinea.

Identification

Adults are distinctive with all-white underparts with black flight feathers, and grey upperparts and upperwings. Juveniles are mottled brown with a pale head and mostly white tail. Subadults have variably dark flight feathers, buffish coverts and usually a brown breast band. In flight, wings are lifted upwards to form a shallow "v" when soaring. Subadults differ from Grey-headed Fish Eagle by less rounded wings and darker secondaries. Separated from Osprey by strikingly different wing shape and darker flight feathers. Black-winged Kite is much smaller, pale grey above with black wing patches, and has shorter, narrower wings.

Habitat

Coastal areas, estuaries, and inland waterbodies including reservoirs.

Behaviour

Feeds primarily on fish, hunting by quartering over water or from a perch. Spectacular aerial display: two birds lock feet and spiral downwards before releasing.