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6

White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) Alternate name(s): "White-tailed Sea-Eagle", "Grey Sea-Eagle", "Eurasian Sea-Eagle", "ern", "erne" German name(s): "Seeadler" Size: 65-95 cm; wing span 1.8-2.45 m Weight: 3.1-5.4 kg (male); 4.0-6.9 kg (female)

Europe: Family Group 6 Family Group 6 Table Lammergeier Eurasian Black Vulture Griffon Vulture Rueppell's Vulture Egyptian Vulture Osprey White-tailed Eagle Golden Eagle Spanish Imperial Eagle Short-toed Snake Eagle Bonelli's Eagle Booted Eagle Red Kite Black Kite European Honey Buzzard Common Buzzard Rough-legged Buzzard Long-legged Buzzard Western Marsh Harrier Hen Harrier Montagu's Harrier Pallid Harrier Black-winged Kite Eurasian Sparrowhawk Gyrfalcon Peregrine Falcon Common Kestrel Merlin Eurasian Hobby Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description White-tailed Eagles are very large raptors, and amongst the largest extant eagles. The sexes are alike, although females are both larger and heavier than males. Their plumage goes through four moults to reach its adult form. Although adulthood (i.e., sexual maturity) is reached at about 5-6 years of age, the final adult plumage, with the characteristic white tail and light grey-brown to yellowish grey-brown streaked neck and head, is attained only at an age of about 8 years. The chest and the underwing coverts of an adult bird are greyish-brown, while the flight feathers are dark-grey. The upperwing coverts are scalloped greyish-brown. The belly, "trousers", vent and undertail coverts are darker brown than the rest of the front (underparts). The irises of adult birds are light-yellow, while bill is yellow and the legs and feet are yellow to orange-yellow. Young birds are darker brown with variable degrees of mottling and streaking. Also the bill is darker than an adult's (for details see a field guide).

Taxonomy, classification See White-tailed Eagle at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the White-tailed Eagle is available HERE . White-tailed Eagles are a partly sedentary and partly migratory Eurasian species. Their overall range extends from the south-western coastal fringe of Greenland, via parts of coastal Iceland and coastal northern Europe into all of mid-latitude to high-latitude Asia, as far as the Pacific coastline. In mid- to high-latitude Asia White-tailed Eagles are breeding migrants that spend the northern winters largely in two areas. One part of the migratory population spends the winters on the coastal fringe from Kuwait to north-western India plus the border area between Iran and Afghanistan. The second part of the migratory population overwinters on the (near-)coastal Pacific fringe in eastern China, Taiwan, Korea and northern Japan. In Europe the White-tailed Eagle used to be widespread, but has been driven back primarily by habitat destruction. In the early 21st century, apart from some wetlands suitable for over-wintering, their distribution is restricted to mostly eastern Europe, plus the west-facing coastlines of Norway and Scotland. Within their European range, adult White-tailed Eagles are primarily sedentary along the west-facing coastlines of Scotland and Norway, around the Baltic Sea, in much of Poland, along parts of the Danube River and along parts of the Greek Mediterranean and the Black Sea coastlines. Also in an area ranging from Belarus via parts of Ukraine and the lower Dnjepr catchment to the North coast of the Caspian Sea they are sedentary. Primarily young White-tailed Eagles are dispersive and migratory. Adult breeding migrants move into parts of north-western Scandinavia and northern European Russia. In northern Denmark and parts of southern Sweden and Finland, and in and around the Baltic States the species is found during migration. White-tailed Eagles are found in various types of aquatic habitats, from coastal wetlands to major inland lakes and rivers.

Sightings Click here for sighting information D. Wilczynska reports spotting a White-tailed Eagle on the river Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, in June 2018. A pair of White-tailed Eagles was found nesting near Lomza, Podlachia, Poland, in May 2020. M. Eaton reports spotting White-tailed Eagles at Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, in June 2018.

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-lateral/ventral view of a soaring White-tailed Eagle; note the completely white tail feathers
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, June 2018]

Near-lateral/ventral view of a White-tailed Eagle, wings down (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, June 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of a White-tailed Eagle, wings up (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Malkinia, Masovia, Poland, June 2018]

Dorsal view of a White-tailed Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, in June 2018]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a White-tailed Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Lomza, Podlachia, Poland, May 2020]

Dorsal/ventral view of a White-tailed Eagle in flight (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Lomza, Podlachia, Poland, May 2020]

PAIR

Ventral view of a pair of White-tailed Eagles in nuptial(?) flight above their nest (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Lomza, Podlachia, Poland, May 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of a second-year White-tailed Eagle (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, in June 2018]

Lateral view of a second-year White-tailed Eagle looking back (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, in June 2018]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Apr - Sep

Eggs: 2 (- 3)

Incubation period: 38 - 42 days

Fledging age: ca. 70 days

In the southern parts of their range White-tailed Eagles nest from January to July.

Nest

Type: Basket

Material: Sticks, branches; with moss, greenery, seaweed or wool lining

Height above ground: 8 - 30 m

Aerie of a pair of White-tailed Eagles (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Lomza, Podlachia, Poland, May 2020]

Eggs

Size: 73 x 58 mm

Colour: Dull-white

Shape: Tapered oval

There are significant differences in egg sizes across the species' range, with major axis lengths varying from 66 to 88 mm, and minor axis widths from 53 to 64 mm.

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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