Home › Aves › Accipitridae › White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
SPECIES PROFILE
White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster)
Haliaeetus
IUCN STATUS
Near Threatened
CONSERVATION STATUS
Near Threatened
CLASS
Aves
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Indian subcontinent southeast Asia
DIET
Carnivorous
HABITAT
Coastal waters mangroves estuaries
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Aves
ORDER
Accipitriformes
FAMILY
Accipitridae
GENUS
Haliaeetus
📋 Description
SIZE
66-70 cm long 1.8-3 kg
COLORATION
White head belly grey upperparts large wingspan
ADAPTATIONS
Powerful talons for fish catching broad wings for soaring
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Coastal waters mangroves estuaries
DIET
Carnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Indian subcontinent southeast Asia
REPRODUCTION
Lays 2 eggs in tree nests incubated 40-45 days
DIET DETAILS
Fish sea snakes small mammals
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Habitat loss overfishing
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Sea Soarers: White-bellied Sea-Eagles glide with 2.5 kg bodies catching 400 grams of fish daily in Sundarbans' coasts. Their white bellies contrast grey backs.
2
Coastal Guardians: These eagles cover 2000 sq km in Odisha's estuaries nesting in tall trees. Pollution threatens their fish prey.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Sundarbans National Park in West Bengal
Chilika Lake in Odisha
Pulicat Lake in Tamil Nadu
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
Year-round Coasts ensure visibility for spotting sea-eagles
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Watch white-bellied sea-eagles soaring over coastal waters
