White-Bellied Sea-Eagle

The white-bellied sea-eagle is a broad-winged eagle with a short, wedge-shaped tail and a wingspan of roughly 1.8–2 m. Adults have a white head, neck, breast, belly and feathered legs contrasting with slate-grey back and wings; the bill is grey and the feet cream-coloured with black talons. Females, at 2.8–4.2 kg, are larger than males at 2.5–3.7 kg. Juveniles are brown and acquire the clean adult pattern gradually over several years (Australian Museum).

Its range extends from India and Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia and southern China to New Guinea and Australia. Pairs occupy coasts, islands, estuaries and large inland waterways, hunting fish, turtles, sea snakes, waterbirds and mammals and also scavenging carrion. They reuse an immense stick nest in a tall tree or on a cliff for many seasons. One to three eggs, most often two, are incubated by both parents for 35–44 days, with the female taking the larger share (Animal Diversity Web; Australian Field Ornithology).