Bird White Breasted Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)

[Hairyman]

Common Name:White Breasted Sea Eagle

Scientific Name:Haliaeetus leucogaster

Other Names:White Bellied Sea Eagle

Family: Accipitridae

Order:Falconiformes

Distribution:India, S.E.Asia and Australia

Habitat:Coastal and major inland waterways

Field Notes:Large white and black eagle with a wing span of 1.8 to 2.2m.White head and underparts.
White wings with black flight feathers. Sexes similar. Immature birds may be confused with wedge tailed eagle.
Distinctive honking call. Territorial.Nest is very large, made of sticks in a promiant tree or rock.
Opportunistic carnivore,fish,freshwater turtles, birds, small mammals and carrion.
Pics taken in South Burnett, Qld Oct2011. Nest is in above background in a tree about 30m behind the eagles.

 

[auscraft]

Here is a pic of adult and a pic of its nest
Not sure if visable at NEt quality photo but just under on right side is a rainbow lorikeet to show size of nest.
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[Dusty]

Here is a close up of the nest which auscraft is talking about.

 

[Hairyman]

Small birds seem to know they are safe near big raptors nests, they are really no threat to the eagle
and even if the eagle wanted to chase them away they couldnt catch them.

 

[J.K.M]

The below shots were taken at Georges Bay on the East coast of Tasmania, and not too far from St Helens.

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[Dusty]

Indirect evidence of sea eagle



Last photo is a collection of same fish reminants found feet apart. All spotted at Gordonbrook Dam, Jan, 2012. Reminants can be found close to dam or along designated walking tracks of the area.

 

[Dusty]

The sea eagles have prepared their nest and female is sitting. This is the same site as auscrafts original entry near Gympie. We will be keeping an eye out to see if any young eventuate. Here are some pics of what we observed yesterday.


Female

Above photo gives perspective of nesting site. Female is on branch, male in flight, nest right hand bottom corner.
​

Photos Dusty and auscraft, April, 2012.

 

[Hairyman]

Adults and a single chick today. South Burnett.

 

[auscraft]

We are watching last years nest waiting for the young to hatch . Still waiting can't be be too much longer

 

[Hairyman]

Same nest as above (post #8) one year later and another single chick.

 

[auscraft]

We as you know have a nest we been watching to see the newbie , we know it has hatched but yet to sight.
Since last year the pair have built onto the nest making it very deep, so deep now when the mum is sitting you can't see her at all till she sits on the edge

 

[auscraft]

On Monday we got the chance to view the little Sea eagle that hatched this year.
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[auscraft]

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