Scientific Name: Icthyophaga leucogaster

IUCN Status: Least Concern

Other Names: White-breasted Sea Eagle, Fish-hawk, White-Eagle, Grey-Backed Sea Eagle

A species of eagle of which the adult has white apex areas, breast, underwing coverts and tail, while the upper parts are a glossy grey. The female of the species is larger than the male, characteristic of most raptors. The white-bellied sea eagle is resident in coastal Sri Lanka and India, while their span extends to South-East Asia and the coastline of Australia. Although classified as Least Concern globally, their populations have dwindled in South East Asia and coastal Australia, labeled as Threatened in the state of Victoria and Vulnerable in adjoining South Australia. The nearest relative of the White-Bellied Sea Eagle is the Sanford’s Sea Eagle of the Solomon Islands, a species that is still clouded in mystery due to a paucity of research studies, and together they constitute a superspecies.

A large hooked beak in a bluish gray tone is symbolic of this species of eagle, while the iris is colored in brown. The cere is also a blue-hued grey. The talons of the eagle are hooked and long and their legs and feet are not feathered. There is also no seasonal variation in their plumage.

During the breeding season, a loud honking call is the signature sound of this eagle species, that is known to carry long distances, farther than most other species of raptor. Most sea eagles of this species are territorial – but a few are nomadic – and tend to couple as permanent pairs all year around, epitomizing their monogamous nature. This species of eagle shows a preference for tall trees to form their nests, a colossal bowl-shaped enclosure that is usually built on forks in trees, with a preference for adjacency to water reservoirs.

The use of DDT is theorized to be a major factor for the decline in numbers of the White-Bellied Sea Eagle, due to the breakdown in egg shells, however the reduction of usage of this chemical ever since the heyday of DDT use (peaking around 1973), has seen this trend gradually reverse.

The cultural significance of the eagle species is wide ranging in Australia, considered as a guardian status for some communities, while forming a spiritual being/totem in others. In Singapore, the White-bellied Sea Eagle is found in the $10000 note, while in Malaysia, it is the emblem of the state of Selangor.

Source: Wikipedia.