A sea eagle is a bird belonging to the genus Haliaeetus. Sea eagle species are found in several parts of the world along coastlines and near inland bodies of water. Their physical features, including size and coloring, vary according to species. They are birds of prey that feed primarily on fish, although they also hunt animals that live near the water. Sea eagles build their nests, or aeries, on seaside cliffs or in tall trees.
One of the most well-known sea eagle species is the bald eagle, which is found on the coasts of the United States and Canada. Adult eagles have brown feathers on their bodies and white feathers covering their head. They range in size from 28 to 37.8 inches (71 to 96 cm) in length, weigh between 6.6 and 13.8 pounds (3 to 6 kg) and have an average wingspan of 80.3 inches (204 cm). A bald eagle’s diet includes fish, other birds, reptiles, invertebrates and mammals. They’ve also been known to steal prey from other birds and mammals.
The Steller’s sea-eagle is one of the largest and rarest eagle species in the world. They live along the shorelines of northeastern Russia, North Korea and Japan. Fully-grown eagles are predominantly dark brown with white wings and white feathers on their legs. They weigh between 11 and 20 pounds (4.9 to 9 kg), measure between 34 to 41 inches (86.5 to 105 cm) long and have a wingspan of 6.7 to 7.9 feet (2 to 2.4 m) wide. Steller’s sea-eagles hunt during the day, using their sharp eyes to find fish, mammals and birds.
White-bellied sea-eagles inhabit the coastal areas, lakes and rivers of Australia, Papua New Guinea and Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia and Sri Lanka. They have white feathers on their head and chest and dark gray back, wing and tail feathers. Adults are 28 to 35 inches (70 to 90 cm) long, weigh 5 to 9 pounds (2.5 to 4.2 kg) and have wingspans measuring around 6 feet (2 m) wide. The white-bellied sea-eagle likes to feed mainly on sea snakes, although it also eats fish, turtles and other birds.
Madagascar fish-eagles are found in forested areas near the western shores of the island nation. Adults have white faces and throats, dark brown wings and reddish-brown backs and chests. They range in size from 27.5 to 31 inches (70 to 80 cm) long and have an average wingspan of 15 inches (48 cm) wide. This species of sea eagle is critically endangered mainly due to habitat loss.
African fish-eagles live along the coast and near lakes, lagoons and rivers in parts of southern Africa. They are similar in appearance to bald eagles, with brown or black feathers on their wings and bodies and white feathers on the head and tail. This species grows between 24 and 29 inches in length (63 to 75 cm) and weighs between 4.4 to 8 pounds (2 to 3.6 kg). They are known for being extremely loud and noisy.
Other species of sea eagles around the world include Pallas’s fish-eagle in India, the white-tailed fish-eagle of northern Europe and Sanford’s sea-eagle in the Solomon Islands, Bougainville and Buka. Pallas’s fish-eagle and the white-tailed fish-eagle resemble the bald eagle and African fish-eagle in coloring. The Sanford’s sea eagle’s coloring ranges from light brown feathers on the head to a reddish-brown chest and dark brown back and wings.